Bangladesh’s leather footwear sector is making a strong comeback. Exports reached a five-year high during the July-October period of the current fiscal year, driven by rising demand in major markets such as the United States, Japan, and the European Union.

Export earnings from leather footwear rose 9% year-on-year, climbing to $228.47 million from $182.11 million during the same period last fiscal year, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). This marks a significant rebound from the pandemic-hit fiscal year 2020-21, when exports totaled $168.53 million for the same period.

Local exporters credit Bangladesh’s competitive labor costs with the surge in orders, which makes “Made in Bangladesh” footwear more affordable to global buyers. Rising production costs in China have also prompted international brands to shift their orders to Bangladeshi manufacturers.

“After a prolonged period of suffering since the pandemic, the leather footwear sector has started to regain its pre-pandemic export trend as new orders are coming from the USA and Japan,” said Nasir Khan, chairman and managing director of Jennys Shoes, a leading local manufacturer and exporter.