Portuguese Shoes Showcase

One of the most recognized shoe industry clusters in the world is located in Portugal. Thanks to responsiveness, quality and unique services, Portugal exports 80 million pairs of shoes every year to different parts of the world.

The sector exports more than 95% of its production to 172 countries on five continents.

Portugal has a long tradition of shoe production. The sector consists of more than 1,100 companies and employs 36,000 workers.

In a 50 km radius of the city of Porto, there are hundreds of companies producing shoe accessories, tanneries and leather goods manufacturing companies. Portugal has a reliable shoe industry cluster that can meet the needs of international markets.

Portuguese shoe companies are supported by many institutions, which allows the sector to remain at the forefront. These include the Footwear Technology Center (CTCP), one of the most modern in the world, and the Training Center (CFPIC), which trains hundreds of new employees every year.

The Portuguese Shoe Industry Cluster recently published its strategic plan for the next decade. The aim is to make Portugal “an international point of reference in the footwear industry and to strengthen Portuguese exports, combining sophistication and creativity with manufacturing efficiency in a virtuous way, based on technological development and international value chain management. In this way, the future of a sustainable and highly competitive national manufacturing base can be ensured”.