The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) in collaboration with the Indonesian Footwear Empowerment Center (BPIPI) in Sidoarjo is launching the #IndonesiaMelangkah campaign to boost the development of the footwear industry, particularly within the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sector. Reni Yanita, the Director General of Small, Medium, and Miscellaneous Industry at Kemenperin, emphasized that the footwear industry has a strong connection with the youth, a key segment of the market. The Indonesia Footwear Creative Competition (IFCC), a national competition organized by BPIPI, is part of this initiative. The competition encompasses photography, videography, and design, with the selected works intended for use within the footwear industry. Among the 482 entries submitted through the IFCC website, 28 nominations were shortlisted, eventually leading to three finalists in each category. The winners' creations will be collaborated upon with the footwear industry, including the facilitation of producing visual photos and videos from selected outsole designs to promote local footwear products. Indonesia is known as one of the world's largest producers of footwear, and its SME-scale footwear industry holds the potential for growth, particularly due to its significant role in export.
As reported in the World Footwear Yearbook 2023, Indonesia ranked as the third-largest exporter of footwear in the world, following China and Vietnam. With last year's export reaching 535 million pairs, accounting for 3.5% of global footwear exports, Indonesia is a prominent player in the industry. Efforts are being made to harness this potential, as shown by domestic investments in the leather, leather goods, and footwear industry, and the sector's contribution to the economy. Despite facing challenges like decreased demand from export markets in the US and Europe and competition from low-cost products, the footwear industry remains a significant contributor to Indonesia's economy. The government is actively supporting the development of SMEs in the industry through various capacity-building programs, technical production guidance, certification, facilitation, and machinery restructuring, among other initiatives.
