Imports & ExportsStart exporting

Leather & footwear

Export non-leather footwear

Sports shoes, canvas shoes, sandals and slippers; the USA, the UAE, the Netherlands and Germany lead.

Free to exportHS 6402
HS code
6402
Footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, including synthetic-leather uppers (HS 6402). Footwear with textile uppers — canvas and most sports shoes — is HS 6404.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2. Confirm the exact 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before shipping.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 483 mn
to 128 countries

What is exported

India makes sports and canvas shoes, synthetic casual shoes, sandals and slippers in Haryana, Delhi NCR, Agra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 245 million under HS 6402 and US$ 238 million under HS 6404; the USA was the largest buyer of both, with the UAE, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Saudi Arabia also important (Commerce Department data).

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Sports and athleisure shoes (HS 6402, 6404)Running and training shoes with textile or synthetic uppers and EVA, PU or rubber soles.
  • Canvas shoesVulcanised canvas shoes with rubber soles — a long-standing export line.
  • Slippers, flip-flops and sandalsMoulded PVC, EVA and rubber footwear for Africa, the Gulf and value retail.
  • Synthetic-upper casual and school shoesPU-coated or microfibre uppers that look like leather; must not be sold as leather.
  • Safety and work footwear with non-leather uppersPVC and PU boots and textile-upper safety shoes to EN ISO 20345.

Where it is grown or made

  • HaryanaBahadurgarh and Gurugram — sports and non-leather shoes
  • Delhi NCR and Uttar PradeshDelhi, Noida and Agra
  • Tamil NaduChennai, Ranipet and newer non-leather footwear parks
  • KeralaKozhikode — PU and rubber sandals and slippers
  • PunjabJalandhar

Export packing

  • Each pair in a printed shoe box (or a polybag for slippers), then 12 or 24 pairs in a 5-ply master carton.
  • Cartons marked with article, colour, size run, pairs per carton and the buyer's barcode labels.
  • Silica gel in each box for sea shipments; EVA and PU soles can yellow or deform in hot containers if packed too tightly.

Who buys abroad

  • Sports and athleisure brands
  • Value retail chains and hypermarkets
  • Importers and wholesalers in the Gulf and Africa
  • Safety-equipment distributors

The quality buyers ask for

Sole bond and flexing
Upper-to-sole bond strength and flex resistance to EN ISO or SATRA methods specified by the buyer
Abrasion and slip
Outsole abrasion and slip resistance (EN ISO 13287)
Restricted chemicals
Phthalates in PVC, PAHs in rubber, DMFu ban and the brand RSL (EU REACH Annex XVII)
Safety footwear
EN ISO 20345 for the EU; ASTM F2413 for the USA
Sizing
EU, UK or US size runs and widths on the buyer's approved last

Certificates

  • Chemical and physical test reportsRequiredBrands ask for them before approving shipment.
  • Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI, SMETA or SA8000)RequiredMost retailers and brands require it for the factory.
  • CE (PPE Regulation 2016/425)Often askedSafety footwear sold in the EU needs notified-body type-examination and CE marking.
  • BIS certification (for the Indian market)Often askedFootwear quality control orders apply to goods sold in India; export-only production is usually exempt — confirm on bis.gov.in.
  • ISO 9001Often askedQuality management system; expected by most industrial buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Shoe boxes in master cartons, loaded by volume; a 40-ft high-cube container typically takes about 5,000–8,000 pairs of boxed sports shoes (trade practice).

How it travels

Sea from Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Chennai or the ICDs near Delhi; air for samples.

Storage

Cool and dry; heat can deform EVA soles and weaken adhesives.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • EU: material label for upper, lining and sock, and outsole (Directive 94/11/EC pictograms or words). Do not use the leather pictogram on synthetic parts.
  • Size, article number and barcode on the box; country of origin on the shoe or box.
  • Safety shoes: CE mark, standard number and protection class (for example S1P) marked on the shoe.
Where to get it tested

FDDI (Noida, Chennai, Kolkata and other campuses) runs NABL-accredited footwear testing labs. CLRI, Chennai also tests footwear materials. For safety footwear CE certification, use a notified body; search the NABL directory for 'footwear'.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CLE (Council for Leather Exports)RCMC — CLE's product coverage includes non-leather footwear and footwear components.leatherindia.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • EU footwear labelling of upper, lining and sole materials (Directive 94/11/EC); never use the leather symbol on synthetic parts.
  • EU REACH limits on phthalates in PVC and PAHs in rubber; brands add their own restricted substances list.
  • Physical tests set by the buyer: sole bond, flexing, abrasion and slip resistance.
How to start small

Start with a simple, proven article — canvas shoes or EVA slippers — for Gulf and African wholesalers, who order mixed containers. Join CLE, build test reports and move to brand programmes once your quality is steady.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Wrong HS code: the upper material decides 6402 versus 6404, and the drawback and RoDTEP differ.
  • Sole separation found in the buyer's flex test.
  • Calling synthetic shoes "leather" on labels or listings.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 6402 and 6404 by country, 2025-26
  2. CLE circular (May 2025) — product coverage includes leather, leather garments, gloves, saddlery, leather and non-leather footwear
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. EUR-Lex — Directive 94/11/EC on labelling of the materials used in footwear
  5. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII)

Trade data

Indian non-leather footwear exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 483 mn
+7.9% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +8.9%
US$ 444 mn → US$ 483 mn
Buyer countries
128
Average export price
US$ 3.22
per kg · 1,50,213 tonnes shipped · US$ 3.05 the year before
United States of America: US$ 83.2 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 45.9 mnNetherlands: US$ 34.3 mnGermany: US$ 30.8 mnFrance: US$ 22.8 mnChina: US$ 16.6 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 16.1 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 13 mnNigeria: US$ 11.6 mnJapan: US$ 10.3 mnSouth Korea: US$ 10 mnYemen: US$ 9.6 mnMexico: US$ 8.9 mnItaly: US$ 7.5 mnBelgium: US$ 7 mnCanada: US$ 5.9 mnKenya: US$ 5.9 mnTanzania: US$ 4.8 mnSouth Africa: US$ 4.3 mnNepal: US$ 4.1 mnTürkiye: US$ 3.6 mnUnited States of America: US$ 83.2 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 45.9 mnUnited Arab EmiratesNetherlands: US$ 34.3 mnNetherlandsGermany: US$ 30.8 mnFrance: US$ 22.8 mnChina: US$ 16.6 mnChinaSaudi Arabia: US$ 16.1 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 13 mnNigeria: US$ 11.6 mnNigeriaJapan: US$ 10.3 mnSouth Korea: US$ 10 mnYemen: US$ 9.6 mnYemenMexico: US$ 8.9 mnItaly: US$ 7.5 mnBelgium: US$ 7 mnCanada: US$ 5.9 mnKenya: US$ 5.9 mnTanzania: US$ 4.8 mnSouth Africa: US$ 4.3 mnNepal: US$ 4.1 mnTürkiye: US$ 3.6 mnIndia
Where Indian non-leather footwear goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 330 mn3302020-212021-22: US$ 424 mn4242021-222022-23: US$ 477 mn4772022-232023-24: US$ 382 mn3822023-242024-25: US$ 444 mn4442024-252025-26: US$ 483 mn4832025-26
India’s non-leather footwear exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2020-21 — a 52% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 2.44 per kg2.442021-22: US$ 3.70 per kg3.702022-23: US$ 3.36 per kg2024-25: US$ 3.05 per kg2025-26: US$ 3.22 per kg3.222020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian non-leather footwear · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 330 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 424 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 477 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 382 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 444 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 483 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 504 mn (US$ 427 mn – US$ 595 mn)5042026-272027-28: US$ 531 mn (US$ 441 mn – US$ 639 mn)5312027-28
India’s non-leather footwear exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 531 mn

Likely range US$ 441 mn to US$ 639 mn.

Trend
+5.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.45 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 83.2 mn+4.3%
2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 45.9 mn+1.5%
3NetherlandsUS$ 34.3 mn+97.8%
4GermanyUS$ 30.8 mn-4.4%
5SomaliaUS$ 29.9 mn+7.4%
6FranceUS$ 22.8 mn-22.2%
7ChinaUS$ 16.6 mn+91.9%
8Saudi ArabiaUS$ 16.1 mn-6.2%
9United KingdomUS$ 13 mn0%
10NigeriaUS$ 11.6 mn+25.5%
11JapanUS$ 10.3 mn+88.7%
12South KoreaUS$ 10 mn+64.3%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. CanadaUS$ 2.7 mn → US$ 5.9 mn+117.6%
  2. NetherlandsUS$ 17.4 mn → US$ 34.3 mn+97.8%
  3. ChinaUS$ 8.7 mn → US$ 16.6 mn+91.9%
  4. JapanUS$ 5.5 mn → US$ 10.3 mn+88.7%
  5. South KoreaUS$ 6.1 mn → US$ 10 mn+64.3%
  6. YemenUS$ 7.5 mn → US$ 9.6 mn+28.6%
  7. BelgiumUS$ 5.4 mn → US$ 7 mn+28.1%
  8. NigeriaUS$ 9.3 mn → US$ 11.6 mn+25.5%

Low demand

  1. TürkiyeUS$ 5.7 mn → US$ 3.6 mn-36.4%
  2. FranceUS$ 29.3 mn → US$ 22.8 mn-22.2%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Others-of-other ftwear with outr soles of rubr/plstcs and with upper of textile materials6404 19 90 · Footwear,, with outer soles of rubber or plastics and uppers of textile materialsUS$ 161 mn+3.1%35.0 mn pairsUS$ 4.59 per pairwas US$ 4.86
Others-of-other footwear of 64026402 99 90 · Footwear in heading no. 6402,, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plasticsUS$ 146 mn-9.1%55.0 mn pairsUS$ 2.65 per pairwas US$ 2.77
Others-of-other sports footwear with outer soles and upper of rubber/plastic6402 19 90 · Sports footwear,, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plasticsUS$ 67.8 mn+69.7%29.0 mn pairsUS$ 2.34 per pairwas US$ 1.59
Others-of-sports ftwear-tenns shoes bsktbl shoes gyngymshoes etc. with outr soles ofrubr/plstcs6404 11 90 · Sports footwear, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym shoes, training shoes and the like, with outer soles…US$ 66.2 mn+50.2%7.7 mn pairsUS$ 8.54 per pairwas US$ 7.53
Other footwear with upper straps or thong asmbld to sole by means of plugs6402 20 90 · Footwear, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, upper straps or thongs assembled to the sole…US$ 17.5 mn-6.3%18.1 mn pairsUS$ 0.96 per pairwas US$ 1.01
Others-of-footwear covering the ankle with outer soles and upper of rubber/plastic6402 91 90 · Footwear in heading no. 6402, covering the ankle, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plasticsUS$ 7.2 mn+28.3%593k pairsUS$ 12.09 per pairwas US$ 10.68
Ftwear with outr soles of lthr/cmpstn lthr and with upper of textile materials6404 20 00 · Footwear, outer soles of leather or composition leather, uppers of textile materialsUS$ 3.5 mn+10.1%502k pairsUS$ 6.97 per pairwas US$ 4.37
Rubber sole with canvas upper6404 11 10 · Sports footwear, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym shoes, training shoes and the like, with outer soles…US$ 3.2 mn-12.2%505k pairsUS$ 6.26 per pairwas US$ 5.61
Rubber sole with leather cloth uppers6404 11 20 · Sports footwear, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym shoes, training shoes and the like, with outer soles…US$ 2.6 mn-22.2%368k pairsUS$ 7.04 per pairwas US$ 8.26
Footwear in heading no. 6402,, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics — all rubber ftwr6402 99 10US$ 2 mn+223.8%605k pairsUS$ 3.37 per pairwas US$ 1.39
All rubber ftwr with metal toe-cap6402 91 10 · Footwear in heading no. 6402, covering the ankle, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plasticsUS$ 1.9 mn+27%206k pairsUS$ 9.38 per pairwas US$ 8.50
All rubber footwear with upper straps or thongs asmbld to sole by means of plugs6402 20 10 · Footwear, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, upper straps or thongs assembled to the sole…US$ 1.6 mn-13.4%1.8 mn pairsUS$ 0.89 per pairwas US$ 0.95
Rubber sole with leather cloth uppers6404 19 20 · Footwear,, with outer soles of rubber or plastics and uppers of textile materialsUS$ 1.3 mn+26.4%127k pairsUS$ 10.57 per pairwas US$ 6.26
Ski-boots and cross-country ski footwear and snowboard boots of other material6402 12 90 · Sports footwear, with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, ski-boots, cross-country ski footwear…US$ 1 mn-61.6%474k pairsUS$ 2.19 per pairwas US$ 4.94

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 77.4 bn
2023
India among exporters
#23
of 157 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.4%
US$ 392 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 86.8 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 38.9 bn 44.5%
  2. 2Viet NamUS$ 12.8 bn 14.6%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 5.88 bn 6.7%
  4. 4ItalyUS$ 4.33 bn 5%
  5. 5IndonesiaUS$ 3.33 bn 3.8%
  6. 6FranceUS$ 2.85 bn 3.3%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 2.31 bn 2.6%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 1.82 bn 2.1%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 1.68 bn 1.9%
  10. 10United Arab EmiratesUS$ 1.14 bn 1.3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 13.7 bn 17.7%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 7.26 bn 9.4%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 4.85 bn 6.3%
  4. 4ItalyUS$ 3.56 bn 4.6%
  5. 5JapanUS$ 3.33 bn 4.3%
  6. 6SpainUS$ 3.2 bn 4.1%
  7. 7ChinaUS$ 2.97 bn 3.8%
  8. 8United KingdomUS$ 2.81 bn 3.6%
  9. 9NetherlandsUS$ 2.4 bn 3.1%
  10. 10PolandUS$ 2.38 bn 3.1%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 14.8 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 14.7 bn
GermanyUS$ 7.2 bnIndia 1.4% · gap US$ 7.1 bn
FranceUS$ 4.71 bnIndia 1.4% · gap US$ 4.64 bn
ItalyUS$ 3.46 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 3.45 bn
JapanUS$ 3.17 bnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 3.16 bn
SpainUS$ 3.17 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 3.15 bn
ChinaUS$ 2.96 bnIndia 1.4% · gap US$ 2.92 bn
United KingdomUS$ 2.81 bnIndia 0.9% · gap US$ 2.79 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 2.4 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 2.4 bn
South KoreaUS$ 2 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 1.99 bn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export non-leather footwear

World footwear trade is dominated by China, Vietnam and Indonesia, and most of it is non-leather — sports shoes, canvas shoes and plastic or rubber footwear. India is a large producer but a small exporter in this segment; its strengths are canvas shoes, slippers and sandals, and a growing sports-shoe industry in Haryana and Tamil Nadu. Brands looking to spread sourcing beyond China are the main source of new demand. Openings are in canvas and casual shoes, sandals for the Gulf and Africa, and contract manufacturing of sports shoes for international brands.

  1. 01Pick a product and market

    Canvas shoes, slippers or sports shoes each have different buyers and price points.

  2. 02Register with CLE

    CLE covers non-leather footwear too; take its RCMC.

  3. 03Develop samples

    Agree the last, materials and colours; make fit and confirmation samples.

  4. 04Test

    Run the buyer's physical and chemical tests on the confirmation sample and on bulk.

  5. 05Produce and inspect

    Inline checks on bonding and finishing; AQL final inspection.

  6. 06Ship and claim benefits

    File the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit HS code, declare RoDTEP and drawback, and keep the mill or test certificates with the export file.

  7. 07Get paid safely

    Use an LC or documents against payment with new buyers, take ECGC cover for open-account sales, and close the export with an e-BRC once the money arrives.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting non-leather footwear

Which HS code is a sports shoe?
With a textile upper it is HS 6404; with a rubber or plastic upper (including synthetic leather) it is HS 6402. The upper material decides it.
Which council do I join?
The Council for Leather Exports, which lists non-leather footwear in its product coverage.
Can I call PU shoes "vegan leather"?
Avoid it. Several EU countries restrict the word "leather" to real leather. Describe the material honestly, for example "synthetic upper".
What tests do buyers ask for?
Sole bond, flexing, abrasion and slip tests, plus chemical tests for phthalates, PAHs and other restricted substances.
Is drawback higher than RoDTEP?
For synthetic or textile shoes, the drawback rate (6.1% with a per-pair cap) is much higher than RoDTEP (0.9–1.2%). You can usually claim both on the same shipment.
Sources (7)
  1. CLE circular (May 2025) — product coverage includes leather, leather garments, gloves, saddlery, leather and non-leather footwear
  2. EUR-Lex — Directive 94/11/EC on labelling of the materials used in footwear
  3. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII)
  4. European Commission — Personal protective equipment (Regulation (EU) 2016/425)
  5. Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) — testing laboratories
  6. Gazette of India — Notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) dated 20.10.2023: All Industry Rates of duty drawback
  7. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27

Who buys Indian non-leather footwear

All countries →

More in leather & footwear

All products →