In 2025, shoe factories will show the following characteristics and trends in the field of international trade: 

In terms of market demand

• Strong demand for sports and casual shoes: According to the data of Alibaba International Station, the sports shoes, bags and accessories in the sports and entertainment industry increased by 410% year-on-year in the beginning of 2025.

• Growth in demand for personalized customization: Consumers’ requirements for the fashion and personalization of footwear products are getting higher and higher. If enterprises can meet the needs of personalized customization, they will have the opportunity to open up new market share.

Trade policy aspects

• Tariff risks still exist: Trump’s possible tariff policy changes, such as 10% tariffs on all imported products and 60% tariffs on Chinese imports, will have a significant impact on shoe factories.

• Complex trade barriers: The complex international situation has led to changeable trade policies, and tariff adjustments, trade barriers and other problems have occurred from time to time, increasing the trade costs and risks of the foreign trade shoe industry.

Industrial transfer

• Transfer to Southeast Asia: Shoemaking is a labor-intensive industry. With the rise in domestic labor costs, the footwear manufacturing industry has shifted to Southeast Asia and other lower-cost regions. In recent years, shoe factories such as Baocheng and Fengtai have gradually moved to India.

• Local production capacity increase: The chairman of the Cambodian Investor Federation said that in 2025, the country’s footwear orders will increase by 20% to 30% compared with 2024.

In terms of sales channels

• Rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce: Chengdu Camido Shoe Industry has exported 200,000 pairs of shoes to more than ten countries and regions such as North America and Europe in half a year through the cross-border e-commerce platform, and the output value of the enterprise has surged by more than 20%.

• The role of the exhibition platform is highlighted: Like the Shanghai International Footwear Exhibition from June 29 to July 1, 2025, as a high-end platform for global shoe manufacturers and distributors, agents, etc., it can promote Chinese footwear to the world.

In terms of competitive situation

• Fierce brand competition: There are many big brands in the international shoe industry. It is not easy for emerging brands to stand out in the global market. They need to invest a lot of resources in brand building and establish differentiated advantages.

• Intensification of environmental protection competition: With the strengthening of the global trend of “greening”, the EU and other markets have increased their requirements for environmental protection, such as the promulgation of the EU Deforestation Regulations and other laws, which put forward higher requirements for the sustainability of shoe factory production.