World looking at India for footwear requirements: Report

23 Oct '20

2 min read

Pic: Invest India / Non Leather Footwear Industry in India

Being the 2nd largest producer of footwear, 2^nd largest exporter of leather garments and 5^th largest exporter of leather goods, the world now looks at India for a large proportion of its footwear and leather requirements, according to a recent report released by Invest India. There is also a renewed focus on the non-leather footwear segment around the world.

The report on 'Non-Leather Footwear Industry in India' highlights India’s non-leather footwear landscape, the opportunities and government policies, incentives, and schemes.

"In worldwide consumption terms, 86 per cent of global footwear consumption has become non-leather by volume. Herein, lies a double-digit growth opportunity which India, the second largest producer and consumer of footwear in the world, is ready to tap into. Already a leader in the traditional leather sector, it is now gaining steady ground in the production of non-leather footwear," states the report.

Analysing the non-leather footwear industry in India, the report says that the industry is fragmented and close to 75 per cent production comes from the unorganised sector, which includes micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Chennai, Ranipet, Ambur in Tamil Nadu; Mumbai in Maharashtra, Kanpur and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Jalandhar and Ludhiana in Punjab, Delhi, Karnal, Sonepat, Faridabad, Pune, Kolkata, Calicut and Ernakulam are some of the major non-leather footwear production centres in India.

There are several factors driving this market, providing a level playing field for both, major global and domestic brands, to drive innovation in their product lines and capture the expanding market, according to the report.

The footwear sector in India is now de-licensed and de-reserved, paving the way for growth of capacities on modern lines with state-of-the-art machinery. To further assist this process, the government has permitted 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through the automatic route for the footwear sector.

As per a report released by the department for the promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), the sector has the capacity to generate 250 jobs for every investment of ₹1 crore. Further, for every 1,000 pairs produced and sold in India per day, the sector can create 425 jobs spanning manufacturing, allied industries and retail.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)

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