Footwear market in Brazil – statistics & facts
Brazil is not only a leader in the global apparel market but is also one of the key players worldwide when it comes to the footwear industry. In recent years, the South American giant has been one of the major shoe producers worldwide contributing with almost 850 million pairs of shoes annually to domestic and international markets alike. And with one of the largest populations worldwide, Brazil has assuredly managed to rank among the leading global footwear consumers, consuming over 700 million pairs of shoes in 2022.
The Brazilian footwear market is expected to grow steadily over the next couple of years, reaching a revenue of close to eight billion U.S. dollars by 2029.
Brazilian “chinelos” in the world
In addition to influencing tourism, the country’s beaches and relatively warm weather have also played a role in the Brazilian footwear market becoming one of the major producers of flip flops. These toe-separating sandals, also known as “chinelos”, accounted for almost half of the Brazilian shoe production, while making up for over 40 percent of Brazil’s footwear export volume in 2023. As a result, it is not surprising that two of the leading footwear companies in the country, Alpargatas and Grendene, have successfully turned their flip flop brands, Havaianas and Ipanema, into some of the most well-known Brazilian products around the world.Positive trade balance in the footwear sector
Exporting close to 1.3 billion U.S. dollars’ worth of footwear in 2023, the South American giant is, by a wide margin, Latin America’s leading footwear exporter, followed by Panama and Mexico. Considering that footwear imports made up less than half a billion U.S. dollars that year, Brazil counts with a significant trade surplus, or positive trade balance.The Brazilian footwear market is expected to grow steadily over the next couple of years, reaching a revenue of close to eight billion U.S. dollars by 2029.
