![\"\"](\"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/HaroldoFerreira-Abical\u00e7ados.jpg\")
<\/a>Abical\u00e7ados chairman Haroldo Ferreira told ANBA that the pandemic has impacted different industry segments differently. \u201cConsider women\u2019s party shoes: there are no events, no parties, so those manufacturers are struggling much more than someone who makes comfy shoes for people to wear at home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Besides e-commerce, which plays a big role in pandemic footwear sales, some flip-flop brands are available from supermarkets, which have remained open. Ferreira explains that some brands have even come out with new stay-at-home footwear. \u201cThe industry is reinventing itself,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Abical\u00e7ados makes it clear that flip-flops and stay-at-home shoe sales haven\u2019t boomed; they just decreased by a lesser amount. \u201cFlip-flop exports were down by 20%, while overall exports were down 30%,\u201d he said regarding year-on-year numbers through July. Year-to-date through July 2020 saw USD 80.4 million in flip-flop exports, according to Abical\u00e7ados figures.<\/p>\n
On sandals and sneakers<\/strong><\/p>\n Brazilian men\u2019s shoes manufacturer Ferracini saw demand pick up for comfy shoes and toe-thong sandals since the pandemic came about. The company makes a wide range of shoes, from formal, casual and sports to assorted sandals. \u201cPeople are staying home more and they are looking for comfort,\u201d Ferracini foreign trade analyst Th\u00e2nia Fileto said.<\/p>\n Fileto explains that people are looking for stay-at-home shoes that they can also go out occasionally, such as sneakers. According to her, Ferracini kept putting out innovative new products throughout the pandemic, but it has given priority to sandals and sports shoes, including sneakers. There\u2019s a trend towards wearing these with business suits, she said.<\/p>\n Ferracini sells its product via e-commerce as well as multi-brand and proprietary stores. Online sales have picked up lately, Fileto says. The brand\u2019s distributors abroad are also seeking more product for their own online stores. \u201cPeople aren\u2019t leaving home.\u201d Foreign demand for comfortable shoes has just begun to pick up, as end-of-year shopping draws near, Fileto said.<\/p>\n Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>