The footwear industry trade fair will take place next week in São Paulo. More than 160 international buyers, including from Libya, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, have been invited.
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The event will be held in 2027, and Brazil’s participation is part of the international promotion agenda for the footwear industry through the Brazilian Footwear project.
Brazil’s footwear imports have nearly doubled in recent years. In the first quarter of this year, purchases of imported products rose 16.9%, with China as the leading supplier, raising concerns within the domestic industry.
In the first two months of the year, 3,400 pairs were imported from the Arab country, more than double the same period last year, according to Abicalçados data.
A study by the Brazilian Footwear industry project—spearheaded by Abicalçados and ApexBrasil—highlights the UAE market’s potential. Brazil exports were higher in the past.
The Brazilian footwear industry hopes to reverse the sharp tariff on sales to the United States but is also seeking new markets to sell its products.
The event, taking place in São Paulo in November, already has accredited importers from 21 countries, including Tunisia. The fair is expected to serve as a channel for the industry to diversify markets amid high U.S. tariffs.
BFSHOW hosted importers from four Arab countries for business rounds. One of the buyers negotiated footwear with Brazilian brands for a network of 55 stores in Saudi Arabia.
Driven by exports, the Brazilian footwear industry will increase its production to over 940 million pairs in 2025. The data was released to the press at the BFSHOW trade fair in São Paulo.
The event will take place from Monday (19) to Wednesday (21) in the city of São Paulo. Around 10,000 buyers are expected, including importers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, and Kuwait.
Brazilian industries exported 39 million pairs of footwear in the first four months of this year. Argentina, the United States, and France were the largest buyers.
An initiative spearheaded by ApexBrasil and Abicalçados has selected the countries where it will promote Brazilian-made footwear throughout the 2026–2027 biennium. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are among them.
The North African country was the 17th main supplier in February, according to a survey by Abicalçados.
Delegates from companies based in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait will attend the BF Show, to be hosted by the industry association Abicalçados from November 11 to 13.
