The outlook for the development of the global safety footwear market remains positive which, according to the latest expert projections, is set to grow at a constant growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4 percent over the next ten years to reach sales of $23.6 billion by 2033. As major manufacturers increase their offerings of increasingly secure and high-performance products and as more stringent regulations are enforced in emerging markets, the industry is expected to grow significantly worldwide.
At the product level, among the technical requirements gaining increasing relevance, protection toward electrical discharge risk is becoming crucial as hybrid and all-electric vehicles become more prevalent. Among the new trends, the increasing weight of ergonomic safety footwear that helps reduce stress and provide greater support for the feet should also be highlighted. In fact, musculoskeletal disorders are recognized as a major cause of inability to work. Back pain and joint pain are often related to posture, loads lifted and fatigue in general. According to experts, an ergonomic approach to the design and production of safety shoes can therefore increase the customer base and customer loyalty, contributing to the growth of the industrial safety footwear market.
Another challenge in the focus of safety shoe manufacturers is, of course, also environmental. The increasing use of recycled materials is a first response to the demand for greater sustainability coming from the market, along with the search for innovative components and processes that help reduce the climate footprint of products.

Positive outlook for the safety footwear industry. In 2023, the value of the global safety footwear market is estimated at $11.6 billion. After a slowdown related to the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for work footwear is expected to grow again globally, both on the back of industrial recovery and increasingly stringent worker protection regulations being passed just about everywhere.

Safety, today, is undoubtedly a healthy sector, as was also seen at Expoprotection 2022, the last major trade fair in the sector held last November in Paris, which attracted thousands of operators interested in discovering the latest in the sector, confirming a certain ferment in the international market.
In terms of market offerings, we must recognize that manufacturers’ efforts are increasingly directed toward the search for greater user comfort, as well as, of course, compliance with regulatory standards for different work situations. In this sense, market demand has long focused on greater lightness of the finished shoe.

The focus on workspace safety is growing more and more and so is the global industrial safety footwear market (+2,5% for the next eight years).

The use of recycled and bio-based materials is growing, while research focuses on lightness and comfort.