Under the motto “competitiveness and sustainability in the era of artificial intelligence”, the 22^nd edition of the UITIC International Technical Footwear Congress returned to China, taking place in Shanghai from the 31^st of August to the 3^rd of September. During the first two days of the event, participants had the opportunity to visit manufacturing facilities in the region. The congress itself then took place, with presentations divided into four sub-themes.

The event was organised by the International Union of Shoe Industry Technicians (UITIC) with the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA). According to the organisation 300 delegates of the whole industry chain from 14 countries and regions participated in the Congress in Shanghai.

Factory Visits 

On the 31^st, visits kicked off with a visit to the Shanghai Art & Design Academy (SADA), the only independently established vocational college in Shanghai specialising in art and design. In the afternoon, participants visited Shanghai Shima Technology, a high-tech that specialises in the design, research, development, production, and sales of footwear products, and Zhejiang Huafon New Materials, a core enterprise under Huafon Group, which is one of the top 500 enterprises in China.

On the 1^st, the tour included a visit to Do-Win, a high-performance sports brand specialising in track and field, which has received awards such as ‘China Famous Brand Product’ and ‘China Well-known Trademark’. This was followed by a visit to Saina, a company specialising in the professional design, production and sales of labour protection shoes. 

For more information, visit the following page. 

Congress

The 2^nd of September began with an opening ceremony featuring welcome speeches from Yuzhong Li (Vice Chairman of CNLIC and President of CLIA), Sergio Dulio (President of UITIC) and Bi Shi (Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering).

Then, throughout the day, three sub-thematic sessions took place: ‘Materials and Product Innovation’, ‘Sustainability as an Opportunity for Competitiveness’ and ‘Smart and AI-Empowered Manufacturing’. Each session featured expert presentations from all around the world showcasing the latest advances in the footwear industry. 

It is also worth highlighting the keynote speeches by Nicoline van Enter of Footwearology, centred on “From Shoes to Systems: AI-Driven Workflows for the Next Generation of Footwear” and “Technological Innovation Promotes Sustainable Development” by Wei Liu of Li Ning.

On the last day of the event, in addition to a sub-thematic session focusing on successful industrial case studies, the presentations concluded with a discussion on the power of AI in the footwear business.

For more information about the presentations and speakers, visit the following page. 

The last edition of the UITIC Congress also offered opportunities for participants to network with each other during the breaks and included visits to the All-China Leather Exhibition (ACLE) and Moda China trade fairs on 3^rd of September. 

Closing Ceremony

During Wednesday morning’s closing remarks, Sergio Dulio revisited the key themes explored throughout the Congress. He found Nicoline van Enter’s analogy of AI as a “nervous system” particularly compelling, especially when paired with the notion that “humans are setting the rules and overseeing its deployment.” Together, these ideas suggest a promising and responsible integration of AI into both daily life and industrial processes. The Congress also spotlighted innovations in materials and how new compounds can interact with existing ones, and the potential of emerging technologies to reshape production. AI’s role in streamlining and even revolutionising footwear manufacturing was a recurring highlight.

“Sustainability was another buzzword,” Dulio noted, emphasising the importance of clear, open processes to build consumer trust. While durability once dominated industry priorities, the focus has now shifted toward sustainable end-of-life strategies for footwear. With AI as the Congress’s central topic, it was no surprise that 12 of the 16 presentations addressed it directly. “AI isn’t about future transformation - it’s already reshaping the way we make shoes,” Dulio concluded.

Next Congress

President Dulio confirmed that the next UITIC Congress will take place in 2027, although the host location has yet to be determined.