Footwear Manufacturing in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
Melbourne, Australia
Last Updated: August 2024
ANZSIC C1352Revenue
$666.5m
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$XX.Xm
Employees
1,653
Businesses
137
Wages
$XXX.Xm
Footwear Manufacturing in Australia industry analysis
The Footwear Manufacturing industry is navigating a complex landscape marked by significant shifts in market dynamics. The industry faces challenges from an influx of low-cost imports, which has pressured domestic manufacturers. Despite this, demand for high-quality, premium footwear drives a stable profit margin environment. Brands focusing on premium and niche segments, like R.M. Williams and Blundstone, are experiencing robust sales and will continue thriving. However, competitive pressure from inexpensive imports is pushing businesses focused on low-end markets to exit the industry. This shift is expected to lead to a contraction in industry enterprises, though some companies are anticipated to remain viable by capitalising on niche markets and demand for premium products. Overall, industry revenue is expected to have dropped 4.9% annualised over the five years through 2024-25, to estimated $666.5 million. This includes an anticipated 1.1% dip in 2024-25, driven by rising material costs and weakened consumer spending significantly affecting the final consumer market.
Trends and Insights
- Demand for premium footwear has expanded, but low-cost imports and intense global competition are driving the industry's revenue decline. Domestic manufacturers face shrinking market share as department stores increasingly prefer imports over locally produced footwear.
- Revenue from leather footwear is declining because of shifts in consumer preference and competition from inexpensive synthetics. Nonetheless, R.M. Williams thrives on premium leather boots, while demand for specialised footwear is growing with increased construction activity.
- Manufacturers are concentrated in Victoria and New South Wales because of these states’ proximity to key markets and access to skilled labour. Victoria's robust transport infrastructure also provides a competitive edge by lowering shipping costs and streamlining export processes.
- Manufacturers primarily compete on price, quality and brand image, with a growing emphasis on high-quality niche products. Specialised footwear for construction, manufacturing and emergency services markets faces intense internal competition because of strict health and safety requirements limiting differentiation.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 4.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $666.5m in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Premium footwear demand is rising, but low-cost imports and global competition have weighed on revenue
- Demand from specialty footwear retailers has surged as consumers prioritise high-quality, stylish footwear. This trend has boosted niche manufacturers, enabling them to capture more market share. However, rising competition from both imported and domestic brands constrained these gains.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Increased retail demand and higher disposable incomes will support revenue growth despite import challenges
- Footwear retailing is set to boost industry revenue as consumers seek diverse, high-quality options. Retailers will emphasise premium and niche products, contributing to revenue growth.
Biggest companies in the Footwear Manufacturing in Australia
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
RM Williams | 181.1 | |
Steel Blue | 54.2 | |
Blundstone Australia | 33.3 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Footwear with leather uppers, Specialised footwear and Footwear with plastic or rubber uppers and other products. Footwear with leather uppers is the largest segment of the Footwear Manufacturing in Australia.
Trends and Insights
Demand for footwear with leather uppers has declined as the industry's once-coveted style loses popularity
- Footwear in this segment is predominantly made of leather but may feature rubber or plastic soles. The traditionally largest footwear segment faces revenue declines as consumer preferences shift away from traditional leather products and department store sales dwindle.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- There are no industries to display.
Complementors
- Men's and Boys' Wear Manufacturing in Australia
- Women's and Girls' Wear Manufacturing in Australia
- Sleepwear, Underwear and Infant Clothing Manufacturing in Australia
- Tailoring and Clothing Accessories Manufacturing in Australia
- Leather and Leather Substitute Product Manufacturing in Australia
International industries
- Global Footwear Manufacturing
- Shoe & Footwear Manufacturing in the US
- Shoe & Footwear Manufacturing in Canada
- Footwear Manufacturing in the UK
- Footwear Manufacturing in China
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Manufacturers produce footwear and footwear components, which are then sold to wholesalers and retailers who, in turn, resell them to consumers.
What's included in this industry?
Footwear with leather uppersSpecialised footwearFootwear with plastic or rubber uppersPlastic heelsBucklesStrapsCompanies
RM WilliamsSteel BlueBlundstone AustraliaPurchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
STEEL-CAPPED BOOTSLEATHER SHOESPLASTIC SHOESRESHORINGIndustry Code
ANZSIC 1352 - Footwear Manufacturing in Australia
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Demand for premium footwear has expanded, but low-cost imports and intense global competition are driving the industry's revenue decline. Domestic manufacturers face shrinkin...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Revenue from leather footwear is declining because of shifts in consumer preference and competition from inexpensive synthetics. Nonetheless, R.M. Williams thrives on premium...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
- International Trade
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
- Total imports, level and trend
- Total exports, level and trend
- Trade Balance
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
- International trade, including imports by country and exports by country
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
- Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Manufacturers are concentrated in Victoria and New South Wales because of these states’ proximity to key markets and access to skilled labour. Victoria's robust transport inf...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Manufacturers primarily compete on price, quality and brand image, with a growing emphasis on high-quality niche products. Specialised footwear for construction, manufacturin...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
R.M. Williams and Footwear Industries lead the competitive industry market. Their dominance is rooted in their dedication to locally sourced, sustainably made, high-quality p...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of RM Williams's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Steel Blue's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Blundstone Australia's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for RM Williams, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Steel Blue, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Blundstone Australia, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Despite light regulation, manufacturers must comply with stringent requirements regarding fair wages, ethical production and reporting modern slavery. These regulations affec...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Despite competition from imports, industry profitability has improved because of a shift towards high-margin footwear. Increased demand for quality products and skilled labou...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Australia include:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Australian Taxation Office
- Australian Securities & Investments Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia in 2024?
The market size of the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia is $666.5m in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Footwear Manufacturing in Australia industry in 2024?
There are 137 businesses in the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 5.6 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 4.9 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Footwear Manufacturing market in Australia?
The biggest companies operating in the Footwear Manufacturing market in Australia are RM Williams, Steel Blue and Blundstone Australia
What does the Footwear Manufacturing in Australia include?
Footwear with leather uppers and Specialised footwear are part of the Footwear Manufacturing industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Footwear Manufacturing in Australia?
The company holding the most market share in Australia is RM Williams.
How competitive is the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Footwear Manufacturing industry in Australia.
