Brazilian footwear industry association Abicalçados has reported exports of 86.2 million pairs for the first nine months of 2021, earning close to $620 million.

These figures represent an increase of 33.7% in volume and of 26.3% in value compared to the same period last year. The figure for volume was 10% higher than for the first nine months of 2019, although revenues were down by 8% compared to that pre-covid period.

Abicalçados president, Haroldo Ferreira, said the organisation was confident of completing 2021 with numbers that would surpass those of 2019, and beat 2020’s by 25%. He said the total number of shoes Brazilian shoe makers export this year is likely to exceed 115 million pairs.

The US was the biggest market for Brazilian shoes, importing 10 million pairs from January to September this year with a combined value of $153 million, increases of more than 50% and 40% year on year, respectively and moving ahead of pre-covid levels.