Pakistan footwear exports surge despite leather footwear decline

Pakistan's footwear exports posted solid growth during the first eleven months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, supported by rising shipments of non-leather footwear, even as leather footwear exports softened amid weaker demand in key international markets.

According to data released by the Government of Pakistan, the country exported 21.9 million pairs of footwear worth US$166.4 million during July 2025–May 2026. Export volume increased 24.8% year-on-year, while export value rose 2.9%, reflecting strong momentum in the non-leather footwear segment.

Leather footwear remained Pakistan's largest footwear export category by value, but performance weakened over the period. Export earnings declined 2.3% year-on-year to US$122.6 million, while export volumes edged down 0.1% to 8.17 million pairs, highlighting softer demand across several major export destinations.

The broader leather industry delivered mixed results. Exports of leather manufactures increased 2.7% year-on-year to US$535.8 million, supported by stable overseas demand. However, exports of tanned leather fell 4.5% to US$120.7 million, underscoring ongoing challenges facing Pakistan's upstream leather processing sector.

The latest figures indicate that while Pakistan's footwear industry continues to expand through the growing non-leather segment, the leather value chain remains under pressure from subdued international demand and persistent challenges in the global market.