Middle East Conflicts and Tariffs Continue to Hit Italian Footwear Industry in Q1
TheItalian footwearindustry continues to grapple with global unrest, though domestic demand is on the upswing, according to the latest data from the Centro Studi of Confindustria Accessori Moda. . .
TheItalian footwearindustry continues to grapple with global unrest, though domestic demand is on the upswing, according to the latest data from the Centro Studi of Confindustria Accessori Moda forAssocalzaturifici, the national association representing Italian shoemakers. The trade organization noted that geopolitical tensions are making recovery of the sector difficult with exports — which account for around 90 percent of the sector’s total turnover — are already showing signs of difficulty in the early months of the year. In the first quarter of 2026, export volume declined 3. 6 percent and 1. 6 percent in value when compared to the same January through Marchperiod of 2025. Turnover, or sales, in the first quarter of 2026 dipped 2. 7 percent to 3 billion euros. Giovanna Ceolini, president ofAssocalzaturifici, said in a statement that these results “confirms the concerns” raised by companies in the forecasts gathered at the end of last January. “Against this backdrop, the domestic market has seen a slight recovery in consumption, though not enough to offset the slowdown in international markets, which remain the sector’s main driver,”Ceolini explained. “Geopolitical tensions are compounding these difficulties. Indeed, international tensions are weighing on results, the data showed. Italian footwearexports to the Middle East were down 33 percent in the first quarter, with a 62 percent fall in March alone, following the outbreak of the conflict. Exports to the former Soviet bloc countries were down 21 percent, while the United States — which the industry has been grappling with additional import tariffs since spring 2025 — recorded a 7. 4 percent decline in value. Among European partners, France saw export value increase 5 percent, despite a 3. 6 percent in volume, and remains the leading destination for Italian-made footwear. Germany, however, has seen the sharpest slowdown, with exports down 10 percent in the first quarter. The sector’s trade balance nonetheless strengthened to 1. 3 billion euros in Q1, up 10. 9 percent on 2025, thanks to a sharp slowdown in imports, which fell 9. 5 percent in value. And on the domestic front, the signals are more encouraging. Italian households spent 1. 28 billion euros on footwear during the quarter, up 1. 7 percent in value and 2. 1 percent in volume compared with the first quarter 2025, driven in particular by women’s shoes and trainers. Trainers, together with sports footwear, account for 41 percent of total spending,Assocalzaturificireported. Difficulties persist on the production and employment front as well with the number of active footwear manufacturing companies falling by 85 and employees by 808 compared with the end of 2025. The use of short-time working schemes remains significant: in the leather supply chain, hours of wage supplementation, although down 40 percent on the 2025 peaks, stood at 6. 2 million — still more than three times the pre-pandemic level. “The international picture continues to be marked by unpredictability, driving up costs and slowing our buyers’ purchasing decisions,” Ceolini added. “Rising raw material and energy costs are a further cause for concern. [And] on the employment and production front, the number of companies and employees is falling. It is essential to take action to support internationalization, strengthen competitiveness and ensure stability for a sector that remains strategic forMade in Italy. ”