A survey conducted by APICCAPS, in partnership with the Catholic University of Portugal, among 1,531 consumers from more than 50 countries, reveals a profound shift in consumption patterns: 90.9% state they have adopted more sustainable habits in the past five years, while only 9.1% resist this global trend.
The results show that sustainability has ceased to be a niche and has become a dominant criterion in consumer choices. Environmental awareness is now a decisive factor for the vast majority of customers, with a direct impact on the fashion and footwear sectors.
When asked about their priorities, almost half (48.1%) of consumers highlighted the search for more sustainable footwear as their main concern. This was followed by reducing consumption (26.6%), repairing shoes (15.5%), and donating footwear (9.8%)—confirming a cultural shift around the value, longevity, and circularity of products.
According to Luís Onofre, President of APICCAPS, “we are all aware that there is still a long way to go, marked by the rampant consumption of low-value products and the excessive concentration of production in Asia, which accounts for 88% of global output.” Still, he stresses that these are “encouraging results, since consumers are increasingly aware of environmental issues.”
He adds: “Portugal is on the right track. We have a dynamic, innovative sector that is increasingly committed to sustainability. In our latest Strategic Plan, we made it a priority to become an international benchmark in developing sustainable solutions. That is why we are currently implementing the largest investment ever in automation, robotics, and, above all, sustainability.”
For Luís Onofre, “this evolution shows that investing in more responsible solutions is not just a trend, but an unavoidable requirement of the international market. Sustainability will increasingly be synonymous with competitiveness.”
The survey was carried out within the scope of the BioShoes4All project, supported by the PRR, and represents the largest collective innovation initiative ever in the Portuguese footwear sector. The program brings together companies, technology centers, and academic partners with the aim of developing new materials, processes, and business models that strengthen Portugal’s leadership in sustainable footwear.
According to Maria José Ferreira, Director of the Portuguese Footwear Technology Centre (CTCP), “BioShoes4All is a truly transformative project, because it acts across the entire value chain, from the development of new bio-based materials to the creation of cleaner and more efficient production processes.”
She emphasizes that “the project’s strength lies in its collaborative dimension, as it brings together companies, research centers, and universities around a common goal: to make Portugal a global benchmark in sustainable footwear. This network of cooperation accelerates innovation and transfers knowledge directly to the industry.”
Maria José Ferreira further highlights that “BioShoes4All is laying the foundations for the development of a genuine new generation of products, combining design, technology, and sustainability. This investment not only addresses environmental demands, but also reinforces the competitiveness of the sector.”