News
Portuguese Footwear Association highlights sustainability challenge at Brussels event
If the European footwear sector is to address the growing environmental impact of consumption, it must accelerate its transition to circularity. This was the key message of a conference organised by APICCAPS in Brussels as part of the BioShoes4All project
Global footwear trade weakens in early 2026
International footwear trade began 2026 under pressure. In the first quarter of the year, most of the main production-based exporters analysed recorded a decline in exports, while several major consumption markets also reduced their imports. The results point to a cautious start to the year for global footwear, although the impact varied substantially across country profiles
Netherlands Retail: Confidence gap widens, footwear lags
Recent developments in the Dutch retail market reveal an increasing gap. Although consumer confidence has deteriorated sharply, retailers remain positive and footwear imports have shown resilience. Yet, footwear continues to lag behind the broader retail sector, facing weaker demand, persistent price pressure, and inconsistent sales. Meanwhile, online retail remains structurally strong, reflecting the ongoing shift in consumer purchasing behaviour
Accent Group rejects Frasers' takeover bid
The independent board committee of the Australian sports footwear retailer has urged shareholders to reject a takeover offer from Frasers Group, describing the bid as highly opportunistic
H&M improves profitability in the second quarter despite flat sales
The Sweden-based fashion retailer reported that sales remained broadly unchanged in local currencies in the second quarter, while improved margins and lower costs helped to increase profitability
Dr. Martens CEO signals confidence with share purchase
Ije Nwokorie's purchase of 112,500 shares follows Dr. Martens’ return to profit growth in FY26, signalling confidence as the British footwear company prepares to move from stabilisation to scaling
Marius Wirtz named CEO of OrthoLite
The leadership change will see Glenn Barrett move to a senior advisory role at Coats, while Marius Wirtz takes charge from Hong Kong, bringing materials and speciality chemicals experience
INSPIRAMAIS to return to São Paulo in July
Focused on innovation, design and sustainability, the event will present new materials while offering research-based guidance to support product development and future collections
UITIC Congress heads to Jakarta in 2027
Organised with KRISTA Exhibition and supported by APRISINDO, the congress will combine expert-led sessions, international networking and links to Indo Leather & Footwear Expo
Mario Jorge Machado re-elected EURATEX President
The European Apparel and Textile Confederation’s re-elected President is set to push for fair competition, better import controls and a transition that strengthens rather than weakens the industry
Amir Pourirani from BASF Performance Materials: the industry is moving to a system-design mindset
In today’s interview, we spoke to Amir Pourirani, Marketing Director of TPU for Asia Pacific at BASF Performance Materials division. We talked about how early-stage collaboration between material suppliers can unlock multiple benefits, among other topics
Pakistan footwear exports rise despite weakness in the leather segment
Exports of Pakistani footwear increased in the first eleven months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, driven by strong growth in the other footwear segment. Leather and canvas footwear continue to struggle
Portuguese footwear industry received at the United Nations
At a United Nations session in New York, the Portuguese footwear industry emphasised its continued investment in innovation, sustainability, and technological development
German consumer confidence ends downward slide but remains weak
German consumer confidence increased slightly in May, after a period of decline. However, consumers were still not optimistic about their financial and economic future
Kohl’s appoints Elliott Rodgers as Chief Operating Officer
The US-based store chain has appointed Elliott Rodgers as Chief Operating Officer. With more than 20 years’ professional experience, he most recently was Chief Operations Officer at Foot Locker
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