Research undertaken by Assintecal (the Brazilian Association of Leather and Shoe Component Manufacturers) has revealed the types of material most commonly used in the manufacture of shoes in Brazil. The study looked at 85 shoe manufacturers who account for the production of over one million pairs of shoes per day or over 70% of the total national output.

Among the results of the research it was revealed that 54.2% of the footwear manufactured in Brazil has leather uppers, a figure that rises to 85.7% for men's shoes. Fabric is mainly used in 38.2% of all sports shoes made in Brazil (around 50,000 pairs per day). The bigger the company the higher the percentage of PU laminates used as upper material in detriment of leather. Leather soles are used in 17.8% of men's shoes. PU is the most frequently used soling material on ladies' footwear (30.1%) and the second most frequently used soling material generally, except in the case of slippers.