The 5th edition of BFSHOW, held at the Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo/SP from November 10 to 12, brings positive expectations for the footwear industry. During the trade show’s press conference, held on the 11th, industry leaders and entrepreneurs shared growth projections, even in the face of a challenging economic environment.
The Executive President of the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados), Haroldo Ferreira, opened the event by highlighting the footwear industry’s growth outlook. According to him, even amid a challenging scenario, output is expected to increase by up to 1.4% in 2025, surpassing 940 million pairs produced. “In the last quarter alone, with the results from BFSHOW, we estimate growth close to 3%,” he noted. From January to August, according to IBGE data, production fell 1.6% compared to the same period last year—a decline that should be offset by growth in the final months of the year.
Export data, which came as a positive surprise for the industry, was also revealed first-hand during the press conference. According to figures compiled by Abicalçados, from January to October exports totaled 87.3 million pairs and US$819.4 million, representing a 7.5% increase in volume and a 1% decline in value compared to the same period last year. In October alone, exports grew in volume (+10.4%) but dropped in value (-9.1%) compared to the same month in 2024. Ferreira explained that the challenges of exporting to the United States, due to the heavy tariffs on Brazilian products, have been mitigated by an increase in shipments to Latin American countries.
Challenges
Ferreira also outlined the main challenges faced by Brazil’s footwear industry, including the growing influx of footwear imports from Asia. “In the first ten months of 2025, imports increased by 23.8% in value and 22.9% in volume compared to the same period last year. It is alarming that the pace of import growth is nearly 20 times higher than the expansion rate of the Brazilian domestic market,” he warned. The Executive President also emphasized the importance of implementing taxes (CID-BETs) on online betting and reinstating payroll tax relief.
Footwear industry strength
While uncertainties remain regarding the North American market, BFSHOW brings renewed optimism to the industry. Hosting importers from 62 countries—nearly 170 of whom were invited through the event’s Buyer Program—there is strong anticipation for business diversification. “BFSHOW is the biggest footwear tradeshow in Latin America, playing a key role at this challenging time not only for exports, but also for the growth of the domestic market,” noted Picolo. The event is expected to welcome more than 10,000 Brazilian retailers from every state throughout its three days.
Investment in market diversification
A gestora de Projetos da ApexBrasil, por sua vez, destacou os investimentos da agência em projetos com calçadistas com o objetivo de diversificar mercados e fortalecer a presença internacional do calçado brasileiro. Segundo Clara, no biênio 2024/2026 estão sendo investidos mais de R$ 40 milhões em ações de internacionalização por meio do Brazilian Footwear, programa desenvolvido pela ApexBrasil em parceria com a Abicalçados. Atualmente, são beneficiadas cerca de 300 empresas de calçados via o programa, que na edição cinco da BFSHOW trouxe 11 compradores e quatro jornalistas internacionais para fazer negócios e divulgar o calçado brasileiro no exterior. Atualmente, mais de 70% das exportações de calçados são geradas por empresas participantes do Brazilian Footwear.
Companies show optimism
At the trade show, most of the roughly 350 exhibiting brands are satisfied and optimistic about the business generated. During the press conference, Astor Ranft, President of Calçados Pegada (Dois Irmãos/RS), emphasized that the deals made at the event will be key to achieving the company’s projected 8% growth in production for 2025. “That has been our average growth over the past 15 years. Now we are entering new segments—beyond men’s footwear, the company is also producing women’s styles and, from now on, children’s as well—because we want to be the family’s footwear brand. We are also very optimistic about 2026,” he noted. With 6,500 direct jobs across its factories in Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia, Pegada created 1,000 new positions in 2025 alone.
Representing the Suzana Santos Group, the company’s Commercial and Creative Director, Suzana Santos, expressed her pride in representing the growing Footwear Local Productive Arrangement (LPA) of São João Batista/SC, now a national reference in women’s footwear production. “The first half of the year was slower, but we grew more than 10% in the second half. Today, BFSHOW is essential for the group’s business, generating new opportunities in both domestic and international markets,” she said.
Ricardo Campos, CEO of Polo GO from Nova Serrana/MG, emphasized that he has been attending trade shows for more than 20 years and has never experienced an industry event as effective as BFSHOW. “Last year, our revenue grew by 180%, largely due to our participation in this trade show,” he noted. According to the entrepreneur, holding BFSHOW in São Paulo—the economic capital of Latin America—has been crucial for strengthening Brazil’s footwear industry, making it easier for buyers from across the country and around the world to attend.
For Renato de Nardo, President of Cactus Shoes from Jaú/SP—who spoke at the press conference representing São Paulo’s Footwear Local Productive Arrangement (LPA)—companies in the region are “quite optimistic” about closing out a positive year, despite challenges in both domestic and international markets. “Cactus is a small company, and here at BFSHOW we have the opportunity to share the floor with industry giants, presenting our products to the world. It is a trade show that is essential to our business. With each edition, we grow around 10% in sales,” he said.
Claudio Taraborrelli, Head of Expansion at Pimpolho from Serra/ES, emphasized the importance of the footwear trade show, especially for opening new international markets, with a particular focus on Latin America. “BFSHOW is a great opportunity to connect our factories with buyers from all over Brazil and the world. We have high expectations for this edition,” he projected.
Held by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) and organized by NürnbergMesse Brazil, BFSHOW runs through tomorrow, November 12, at the Anhembi District. Learn more: www.bfshow.com.br. www.bfshow.com.br.
