Brazil Footwear Component Imports Rise 14% in Jan–July 2026

Brazil’s footwear component imports increased 14% between January and July 2026 compared with the same period last year, extending a strong upward trend that has seen imports rise sharply over the past four years.

Imports of footwear components exceeded US $44 million in 2025, marking an 84.4% increase from 2021, according to data compiled by the Brazilian Association of Companies of Components for Leather, Footwear and Artifacts (Assintecal), based on figures from Brazil’s Secretariat of Foreign Trade (Secex).

The growth has been particularly strong in shoe uppers, with imports of these products increasing 92% between 2021 and 2025.

Assintecal superintendent Silvana Dilly said the latest figures show that the import trend is continuing. Component imports recorded an average annual growth of 16.5% over the four-year period.

China strengthens its position

China has been the main driver of the increase. Its share of Brazil’s total footwear component imports rose from 40% to 83% between 2021 and 2025.

The Chinese share was even higher for shoe uppers, reaching 86% of imports. Imports of components from China increased by 280% over the four-year period, significantly faster than overall component imports.

The rise in imports comes as Brazilian footwear manufacturers face weaker conditions in both domestic and export markets.

Brazilian footwear production declined 5.6% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Footwear exports also fell, with export value down 18% from January to July 2026.

Dilly said weaker footwear demand is reducing the need for materials from Brazilian factories, putting pressure across the production chain.

Assintecal has called for greater coordination among the different segments of the footwear supply chain to address increasing import competition, particularly from Asian suppliers.