Italian footwear exports decline amid regional shifts

The Italian footwear sector faced a challenging first half of 2026, characterized by declining exports despite a positive national trade balance. Nationally, turnover fell by 2.3% and exports decreased by 2.4%, though the trade balance grew by 9.6% to reach 2.16 billion euros between January and May.

In the Marche region, exports dropped by 9.9% to 540.3 million euros. This decline was driven by significant contractions in key markets, including China (-19.7%), the United States (-8.6%), the Netherlands (-10.7%), and Germany (-3.8%), while exports to the Middle East and Russia fell by 33.8% and 43.5%, respectively. The regional industry also saw a reduction of 73 companies and a loss of 1,356 jobs.

In Lombardy, exports reached 1.56 billion euros, a slight 1% decrease. While exports to Switzerland and France grew significantly, shipments to Germany fell by 33.4% and the United States by 7.2%. Unlike Marche, Lombardy reported an increase of 153 employees, though the leather supply chain experienced rising tensions, evidenced by a 35.8% increase in social safety net hours.

Domestically, Italian family consumption of footwear rose by approximately 2%, led by women's footwear and sneakers, which account for over 42% of total spending.