Canada and Korea top markets for US shoes
25/09/2013
Imports supplied more than 95% of domestic demand in 2012 with China the largest supplier by far, accounting for 72%. However, other Asian producers, particularly Vietnam and Indonesia, continued to steadily increase their share of the US market at China’s expense.
Italy continues to be an important supplier to the high-end US market and remained the third-largest supplier of footwear in 2012, growing 8% over 2011.
Though US exports declined slightly from a peak of $832 million in 2011, the 2012 level was the second-highest during the past five years.
Exports to Canada, the largest export market accounting for 14%, increased 24% to $116 million while those to Korea – the second largest market taking 12% – grew 7% to $101 million.
Consumer spending on footwear increased 5% between 2011 and 2012, mainly as a result of higher retail prices where rising materials, transportation, and labour costs were passed on to consumers.
Between 2007 and 2012, the number of US footwear manufacturing facilities declined from 1,050 to 721 and the workforce declined from 15,761 to 11,581.
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