Yes, most shoes are indeed made in China. According to a report by Global Footwear Production Report 2018, China was the leading producer of footwear in the world, contributing to 55% of the global production in 2019. However, the market share of China’s footwear industry in the global market has declined to 50% and its domestic new production capacity is less than 5%-10%. Nevertheless, China’s footwear industry is confident with its advanced supply chain and is investing in intelligent and automatic production. Although Vietnam has surpassed China as a footwear producer, the future growth of the market may lie in countries like Indonesia and India. In terms of exporting countries, Portugal, a European country, is also an important player, exporting its shoes at a price three times that of the global average.
Due to the impact of the epidemic in 2020, China’s footwear product output reached a new low, reaching 11.12 billion pairs. In 2021, as the epidemic eased, Chinese shoe companies resumed work and production, and output rebounded slightly, reaching 12.02 billion pairs, with a growth rate of 8.09%.
Sales volume in 2022 will be14.3 billion pairs, a year-on-year growth of 19%.
