The US shoe industry raises the alarm. As the US industry medium Footwear News reports, the US Footwear Manufacturer Association (USFMA) has asked to invest customs income from importing a strong national shoe chain in an open letter to President Donald Trump.
According to the USFMA managing director Bill McCann, there is enormous potential in the domestic market. Currently only around 25 million of the 2.7 billion shoes sold annually are produced in the United States – less than 1% market share. The aim of the industry is to manufacture at least 5 % or 135 million pairs every year in the medium term. This requires a unique federal investment of $ 5 billion.
The funds should flow primarily into modern manufacturing systems, automation and AI-based technologies. The goal: resilient supply chains, thousands of new jobs and technological competitiveness. “The state must now invest strategically to mobilize private capital,” says the letter.
However, the demands of the industry go beyond economic aspects. McCann refers to security policy weaknesses: a Pentagon Wargame has disclosed serious bottlenecks in military equipment, especially in shoes and textiles. The United States would currently not be able to provide sufficient care for its armed forces in the event of a crisis. Expansion of production capacities would take over 18 months.
According to Footwear News, up to 50% of the US soldiers are currently in imported boots-mostly from Vietnam or China. The Boots Act (Better Outfitting Our Troops) is to remedy the situation, which stipulates that all militarily used boots will have to be produced in the United States in the future.
The USFMA appeal is therefore not only aimed at Trump, but also to other key people: Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, Minister of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Minister of Finance Scott Bessent and the trade officer Jamieson Greer.
“We need a tax system that strengthens domestic production – and a strategy of how we can secure economic strength and national security through our industry,” said McCann. The advance is supported by companies such as New Balance, Desma and Signet Mills.
