A total of $100 million worth of shoes and synthetic leather were exported from Iran during the last fiscal year (ended March 20, 2021), director of Iran Shoemakers Association said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Tenth International Exhibition of Footwear, Bags, Leather and Related Industries, also known as MPEX 2022, Rasoul Shajari added that $76 million of the total sum pertained to footwear and the rest to synthetic leather, IRNA reported.
The official noted that 220 million pairs of shoes are made in Iran annually, adding that the industry has created direct jobs for around 500,000 people.
“MPEX 2022 opened on Jan. 11 at the Tehran International Fairgrounds and will run through Jan. 14. This year, apart from Iranian businesses, companies from Italy, China and Turkey have also participated,” he said.
Mohammad Reza Davarpanah, a member of Producers and Exporters of Synthetic Leather Association, said 85% of raw materials for footwear production is procured domestically and 95% of the required machinery are manufactured inside the country.