SHOECONOMY
The economics of the footwear industry from sales data to shoe jobs
Real-Time Shoe Marketplace Dashboard
The economics of the Footwear Industry as of December 2021
278,000
Footwear workers nationwide
(Down from 333,626)
+29.8%
Consumer spending on footwear surged sharply in 2021 to a record $100.7 billion
+3.7%
Retail footwear prices in 2021 rose year-over-year the fastest in 32 years
+25.9%
Shoe store sales surged in November from weak year-ago comps as the pandemic kept many shoppers away from stores last year
+20.5%
Consumer spending on footwear surged y/y in July to an annualized $102.1B, a near record
+6.0%
Retail footwear prices in December saw their fourth-sharpest year-over-year rise in more than thirty years
Shoeconomy is powered by FDRA, the footwear industry's business and trade association representing over 95% of the shoe industry.
Each week, FDRA tracks and analyzes the "SHOECONOMY"—or footwear marketplace—to help shoe retailers and brands make better business decisions. It provides industry data around sales, prices, employment, and hourly wages as well as using media channels to host shoe executives discussing trends and operational innovations. Learn more at FDRA.org
- Shoe Industry Business and Marketplace Insights By Leaders
The Faces & Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
The Faces & Shoe Stories of Footwear Workers
Click on a story below to learn more about various jobs in the footwear industry.
Footwear Innovation
Watch brands talk about how the footwear industry is changing
how we design, develop, manufacture, and sell shoes…
Sign up for our FREE Footwear Retail Recap monthly newsletter
- Resources
Visit our websites below to gain valuable insights on everything from sustainability to innovation data.
Shoesustainability.com is the industry’s news and resource center on how brands can reduce their environmental footprint, step by step.
Our newest site to educate on shoe intellectual property issues and eradicate counterfeit footwear.
To see all things footwear innovation, from design to PD to production to materials and retail, visit here.
FDRA’s Footwear Customs and Import Center is a one-stop-shop on footwear customs. Find customs and import docs, get key updates, request sample classifications, and access a digital IFI form.
This Footwear Sourcing and Compliance Center is a learning and resource hub with the goal of improving social and environmental compliance in footwear supply chains, as well as providing in-depth data, insights and analysis on global footwear production.
A fun and engaging podcast hosted by Matt Priest and Andy Polk. Each week, listen in on in-depth and dynamic conversations about the business of footwear with the people actually designing, making, marketing, and selling shoes.
Sign up for the footwear industry’s FREE weekly newsletter!
FDRA’s Week in Review brings you key footwear business data, updates and alerts each Friday.
EVENTS
Visit our events & training page for Upcoming Events and Professional Development Opportunities
Contact Us
FDRA is the footwear industry's business and trade association. FDRA supports nearly 500 companies and brands worldwide, representing 95% of total U.S. footwear sales, making it by far the largest and most respected American footwear trade and business association. Contact us if we can assist with your business, or you have questions about the content found on this site.
© 2023 FDRA