But as sales and export value rise, production and export volume have fallen across the Italian footwear industry. Specifically, the report noted that the number of shoes being exported to North America in the first quarter slowed down noticeably, by 19.4 percent. Decreases in exports were also seen in Germany , the U.K. and Switzerland .
But the report did see a “strong recovery” in Russia and Ukraine, after sales plummeted last March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and noted a continued recovery in However, there is still cause for concern, the report highlighted. The Confindustria Moda Research Centre said there are “several signs” of a slowdown in growth, which was expected in 2021 and 2022. These signs include an overall export volume decrease of 2 percent and a 1 percent decline in production.
“The survey revealed that high prices for energy and raw materials are currently the biggest problem for footwear companies, due to their impact on balance sheets,” Ceolini said in a statement. The chair also noted that the survey found that more banks are tightening their credit, and 84 percent of entrepreneurs identified the difficulties of finding skilled labor as a “significant problem” for their business.
This latest data comes after the Confindustria Moda Research Centre for Assocalzaturifici reported that the final balance of exports in 2022 were up 23 percent over 2021 at 12.65 billion euros .