16/03/2025
𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐔𝐒 $ 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧
Bangladesh’s non-leather footwear sector is on an impressive growth trajectory, with exports projected to reach the half-billion-dollar mark by the end of the fiscal year 2024-25. This rapid expansion has positioned non-leather footwear as a burgeoning segment within the country’s export market, traditionally dominated by readymade garments.
Data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) indicates that non-leather footwear exports surged 120 per cent in the decade leading to FY ’24, rising from US $ 189 million to US $ 416 million. The momentum has continued into the current fiscal year, with exports increasing by 41 per cent year-on-year in the first five months of FY ’25, totaling US $ 217.81 million.
Despite readymade garments still accounting for over 80 per cent of Bangladesh’s total exports, Riad Mahmud, managing director of Shoeniverse Footwear noted that the country’s competitive labour costs and strong reputation in apparel have made it an attractive destination for footwear orders. He emphasised that Bangladeshi manufacturers can offer more competitive prices for synthetic shoes compared to Vietnam.
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) highlighted that increased orders from well-known brands like H&M, Puma, Decathlon, FILA, and Kappa have fueled the rise in non-leather footwear shipments. The primary markets for these exports include Spain, France, the Netherlands, South Korea, India, Italy, and Germany.
