Speaking at a press conference at Micam on September 20, the secretary general of the country’s main footwear and leathergoods industry association, HDSL, Manfred Junkert, said he was pleased to see this increase. He pointed out, however, that the industry had still not regained pre-pandemic levels.

During the six-month period in 2021, footwear manufacturers employed around 14,600, a fall of 6.2% year on year.

HDSL has said lengthy lockdowns and shop closures in Germany because of covid-19, led many footwear manufacturers to take measures to cut their workforce. There was government support for companies and many shortened their working week, but this did not halt job losses of almost 1,000.

Mr Junkert said Germany’s shoe manufacturers were conscious of a shortage of skilled workers and of employees with digital skills and were now actively recruiting again.

He said he was hopeful that a return to office work, to exhibitions and other business events and to cultural events would lead to a further recovery in sales for makers of formal shoes, including HDSL member companies.