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event, generating a possible $8 million-worth of business. According to a report published by the Arab Brazilian News Agency (ANBA), deals worth $2.08 million were closed at the fair and another $6.3 million in business is forecast to be
“globally known brand of footwear and accessories for the fashion, surf, travel, and medical industries”.
BRAZIL
A footwear manufacturer from China, UpTop, has applied to set up a new factory in the heartland of the industry in Brazil
with 1000 pairs per day and 200 workers.
MEXICO
Mexico’s economy minister, Eduardo Sojo, has confirmed in a radio interview that a programme of economic aid the government is preparing to launch will include footwear as one of the
the money would be to construct modern business parks to house new and existing manufacturing firms.
GERMANY
German athletic footwear brand Puma has reported improved financial results for 2007 despite facing economic challeng
new organisers of the Midec footwear event in Paris have declared themselves satisfied with the latest edition of the Paris event in spite of the “special context” surrounding it. In a press statement they took a final swipe at the old organisi
e Coq Sportif has designed a new boot for the captain of Italy’s national rugby team, Sergio Parisse. The Number 8, who was actually born in Argentina, wore the new boots—called Puncher 2 Thaiti—for the first time in Italy’s Six Nations
ngelo’s paintings there.
RUSSIA
The impressive delegation of Russian footwear buyers attending the Micam exhibition in Milan at the end of February stayed in Italy after the event. The inward investment agency for the traditional footw
t important for high-end Italian leather shoes in recent years.
SPAIN
The organisers of the spring edition of Madrid’s leather and footwear fairs, Sipiel and Modacalzado, said that the events went well, especially given that the last day, Sund
lower numbers on Sunday as buyers from Spain wanted to be at home to vote.
PAKISTAN
Although Pakistan’s footwear exports crept 0.27% higher month-on-month in January to reach $8.915 million, up from $8.891 million in the same
llion pairs worth $ 63.4 million, down from 8.6 million pairs worth $64.9 million in same period of the previous year.
BANGLADESH
With footwear demand growing at an estimated 20% a year in Bangladesh, important retail groups are
rkers in a factory in southern China who make footwear for Nike have been given a big increase in their salaries. According to reports that emerged after a press tour of the site hosted by Nike executives, the average wage in the Donggua
site, producing 14 million pairs of Nike shoes a year.
UNITED STATES
The maker of colourful plastic shoe brand Crocs has said that it has no intention of allowing retailer Costco to sell its products. “While there have been rumours and
to Costco.” He added that when Crocs had found instances of resellers supplying, it had ended its relationship with those customers.
CANADA
Italy’s National Institute of Statistics has confirmed strong growth in the two-way trade betwee
n leather footwear were up by 23%. Italy’s main imports from Canada were raw materials; in total, goods worth ?1.8 billion went from Canada into the Italian market last year.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The first Expo Riva Middle East s
deals worth $2.08 million were closed at the fair and another $6.3 million in business is forecast to be sealed over the next 12 months.
AUSTRALIA
K-9 Concepts, Inc. has completed its acquisition of 100% of the outstanding membershi
cturer from China, UpTop, has applied to set up a new factory in the heartland of the industry in Brazil, Novo Hamburgo. The mayor of the city, Jair Foscarini, is analysing the proposal, which includes a request that the city authorities pro
t a programme of economic aid the government is preparing to launch will include footwear as one of the sectors to benefit. The budget for the programme will be around $50 million. The minister said half of this would go into a federal gov
c footwear brand Puma has reported improved financial results for 2007 despite facing economic challenges, and says its outlook for this year remains positive. Currency-adjusted global brand sales grew more than 3% to reach
€
2.7 billi
spite of the “special context” surrounding it. In a press statement they took a final swipe at the old organising team for picking dates that sat just outside the collection of fashion events known as ‘Paris Capitale de la Création’, which yearly
lly born in Argentina, wore the new boots—called Puncher 2 Thaiti—for the first time in Italy’s Six Nations match in Paris against France in March. They have predominantly blue uppers to match Italy’s colours, but have an amazing desi
at the end of February stayed in Italy after the event. The inward investment agency for the traditional footwear manufacturing region of Le Marche has revealed that it invited the Russian delegation to travel south after the exhibition to
footwear fairs, Sipiel and Modacalzado, said that the events went well, especially given that the last day, Sunday, March 9, coincided with general elections in Spain. The opening day of the fairs, Friday, March 7 attracted 1,500 more visit
xports crept 0.27% higher month-on-month in January to reach $8.915 million, up from $8.891 million in the same month last year, the overall picture for the industry looks far from positive. According to the latest figures released by the F
LADESH
With footwear demand growing at an estimated 20% a year in Bangladesh, important retail groups are expanding across the country. Bata, which currently has 237 retail outlets in Bangladesh, has announced that it will open 40
reports that emerged after a press tour of the site hosted by Nike executives, the average wage in the Dongguan factory—run by Hong Kong-based Yue Yuen Industrial and owned by Yue Yuen’s parent company, Pou Chen Group of Taiwa
aid that it has no intention of allowing retailer Costco to sell its products. “While there have been rumours and speculation that we are now selling our footwear to Costco, this is untrue,” said Ron Snyder, Crocs president and chief executi
omers
CANADA
Italy’s National Institute of Statistics has confirmed strong growth in the two-way trade between the country and Canada with leather footwear—along with wine—leading factors in the growth east-to-west The govern
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CHINA
Figures from the China Leather Industry
Association show that the country’s footwear exports
in the first four months of 2012 grew, but at a
considerably lower rate than in recent years.
Chinese footwear manufacturers exported almost 3.2
billion pairs over the fourth-month period, with
export earnings of $11.7 billion. These figures
represent growth of 2.4% and 4.1% compared to the
same period in 2011, but at this point in 2011, growth
rates were 8.4% in volume and 23.1% in value.
Over the same period, Chinese traders and retailers
imported almost 17.9 million pairs of shoes, an
increase of 36.9%. The unit price for export footwear
was $3.66 per pair. The comparative price for shoes
coming into China is currently $28.17 per pair.
UNITED STATES
Data from the US Census Bureau
show that shoe store sales in the US passed the $2.4 billion
mark in both February and March this year. The figure for
March represents an increase of 7.9% on the same month in
2011. This is the second-fastest growth rate the industry has
seen in more than five years. The March figure marks the
28th straight month of year-on-year gains, the longest
period of expansion in more than two decades.
First-quarter sales growth was 7.4% compared to the first
three months of 2011. At the current rate, annual shoe store
sales are on track to rise to record levels in 2012.
•
Athletic footwear brand Skechers has agreed to pay $40
million to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission
in the US that it “deceived consumers” in advertising for its
Shape-ups, Resistance Runner, Toners and Tone-ups
footwear. Skechers has defended its original claims.
The FTC has said consumers who bought Shape-ups shoes
will be eligible for refunds. It says Skechers made
unfounded claims that Shape-ups would help people lose
weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and
abdominal muscles.
The FTC stated that Skechers also made unfair claims in
advertising with regard to a clinic study it cited and made
unsupported claims that Shape-ups would provide more
weight loss, and more muscle toning and strengthening
than regular fitness shoes.
Skechers denies the allegations and believes its advertising
was appropriate, but has decided to settle the claims “in
order to avoid protracted legal proceedings”. Defending a
series of legal actions in different parts of the US would
have cost it much more money, the company said.
VIETNAM
The country’s total exports are estimated to
have reached $42.9 billion during January-May this year,
compared to $34.7 billion in the corresponding period in
2011. Leather footwear and leathergoods exports contributed
$3.3 billion to this total, compared to $2.9 billion in the first
five months of 2011, representing growth of 14.9%.
During May alone, Vietnamese manufacturers exported
leather footwear with a value of $650 million, compared to
$560 million in April 2012, growth of 16% for the month.
WORLD
Consumer spending on footwear across the globe
in 2012 will reach $122.9 billion, compared to $107.4 billion
in 2007, according to US market research firm IBISWorld.
The report’s main author, analyst Alen Allday, argues that
annualised growth of 2.7% across the last five years is a
good performance, bearing in mind the downturn in
consumer spending around 2009. Economic conditions are
still difficult in many markets, but demand for mid-priced
and high-priced European manufactured footwear is
expected to remain steady.
In 2012, China should account for 63% of global production,
40.5% of global exports and 55% of industry revenue. Rising
wages in China, however, present an opportunity for other
countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East to enter the
industry as cheaper alternatives to China, both as a source
of production and as a source of low-priced imports.
COLOMBIA
Footwear producing companies in Colombia,
mostly small businesses, are facing up to extra responsibilities as
exporters to the US as a result of a free trade agreement the two
governments signed in October 2011. To qualify for the benefits of
tariff-free shipping, footwear manufacturers, many based in the
province of Santander, have to guarantee that their shoes are
made in Colombia and that 75% of the materials and components
in the shoes are also from Colombia.
Because the country has no official agency to confirm product
origins, the companies must take responsibility for their own
declarations to satisfy the terms of the agreement, a sizeable
responsibility for smaller
companies.