Half of shoe imports come from China

Nearly half of all shoes imported into the Netherlands come from China. The Netherlands imported 157 million pairs of shoes last year; 75 million of these were made in China. Asia as a whole accounted for nearly two-thirds of all shoe imports.

Imports from China almost doubled in five years

In 2005 75 million pairs of shoed arrived in the Netherlands from China. Five years previously this number was 32 million. The share of China in total Dutch shoe imports rose from 24 to 48 percent between 2000 and 2005. The share of EU–made shoes in Dutch imports fell from 42 to 32 percent in the same period.

Shoe imports

More shoes from China, fewer from Asia

The number of imported shoes from China was 3.5 percent higher in 2005 than in 2004. On the other hand imports from the overall Asian region fell last year: 99 million pairs of shoes were imported from Asia last year, 9 percent less than in 2004. After China, Vietnam is the second largest shoe supplier, exporting about 12 million pairs to the Netherlands in 2005. This is 3 million fewer pairs than in 2004.

Shoe exports

Exports mainly to European Union

In 2005 96 million pairs of shoes were exported from the Netherlands. This is an increase of 11 percent on the previous year. Nearly all of these exports go to EU countries, mainly Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Nearly two-thirds of total Dutch shoe exports go to these countries.

Sales of Dutch-made shoes down

Sales of footwear manufactured in the Netherlands (by companies with more than 20 employees) are decreasing. In 2004,  94 million euro worth of Dutch shoes were sold, compared with 129 million euro worth in 2000.

Wiel Packbier