US Footwear Industry Sales Surpassed $100B In 2021

The U.S. footwear industry saw record-breaking sales, with total consumer spending surpassing $100 billion in 2021.

According to Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America’s (FDRA) recent data, consumer spending on footwear products increased by nearly 30 percent. In December, the final month of the holiday season, sales were particularly impressive as they increased by 20.5% higher compared to the same month last year.

The increase in demand for footwear products in December came even as overall consumer spending was down by 1% (adjusted for inflation) compared to November, which amounted to a decline of $95.2 billion.

Meanwhile, retail sales in December were down 1.9% compared to November 2021, likely because a larger share of consumers chose to shop early to avoid shipping delays.

“The resiliency of the American footwear industry cannot be overstated,” said FDRA president and CEO Matt Priest. “Despite major supply chain disruptions, higher tariffs and Covid, our companies blew past previous record sales and surpassed $100 billion in consumer demand for the first time ever. That is nearly $17 billion more than the previous record in 2019. It is an unbelievable triumph that speaks to how innovative, dynamic, hardworking and creative footwear professionals are across the U.S…We look forward to helping companies continue to boost their business, and we hope 2022 brings sustained lasting growth.”