Every morning at 10 a.m., Arun enters his employer’s manufacturing unit at Saravanampatti, Coimbatore. As he exits in the evening, his heart is filled with pride and satisfaction, not from the quantity of footwear he created but from the difference it would make to users and the environment.
Arun is not alone. Across India, lakhs of skilled and semi-skilled professionals are engaged in gainful employment in the non-leather footwear industry.
The sunrise category has gained prominence and preference due to its eco-friendly ecosystem. As early as 2019, non-leather constituted about 59 percent of the total footwear market, according to Invest India.
Government incentives are another reason for rapid growth. In her budget 2025 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promised a ‘focus product scheme’ that will help global non-leather footwear brands focus on India as a manufacturing hub, as part of the China Plus One policy.
The salary range is encouraging. Here are indicative industry figures that peg the remuneration for entrants with the right qualifications, and mid-career professionals with relevant experience:
Footwear Production Manager ₹60,000 to ₹1,00,000 per month. Production Supervisor ₹50,000 to ₹60,000. Quality Head ₹40,000 to ₹80,000. CAD Designer ₹20,000 to ₹25,000. Shoemaker ₹15,000 to ₹17,000. Salespersons ₹15,000 to ₹25,000. Cobblers working in units specializing in hand-made footwear – around ₹20,000. Women from self-help groups find a place in the industry and can earn ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 per month.
With a population of over 1.4 billion, we are the second largest consumer of footwear in the world, according to India Brand Equity Foundation. With pollution concerns over the leather industry, non-leather footwear is emerging as a viable and fashionable alternative. This means greater opportunities for career training, and job placement in a vertical with fewer takers two decades ago.
If fresh graduates or high school pass-outs wish to enter this promising segment, where would they get trained? Or can a person switch from a current role in the leather footwear industry? Options are available based on inherent skills and interests.
Industry bodies for talent training
The Govt. of India, which has always taken the lead in nurturing critical sectors, set up the Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) as early as 1986. This operates under the aegis of Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with presence at 12 campuses across India – Noida, Fursatganj, Chennai, Kolkata, Rohtak, Chhindwara, Guna, Jodhpur, Ankleshwar, Banur, Patna and Hyderabad.
The Rohtak campus uses a 3D Motion Capture System that helps study of human motion under different conditions of movement. The Rohtak campus is also a CoE for Non-Leather Footwear, Products & Accessories.
The FDDI’s School of Design & Footwear Production offers bachelor’s and master’s programs. In addition, the institute has launched certificate courses – duration six months to one year, full-time and part-time – on Non-Leather Footwear Manufacturing Technology and a Non-Leather Executive Development Programme for learners, beginners and professionals already working in the footwear industry. Graduates and certificate holders can be recruited by leading footwear brands and export houses through in-campus placement.
According to Arun Sinha, IAS, who served as Managing Director of FDDI for six years, the course curriculum now has an equal focus on non-leather footwear. The seamless acceptance of non-leather footwear in the market creates greater job opportunities and increases the demand for trained talent, he said.
Real growth in fake leather
While statistics from different sources vary, a 2024 report published by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) predicts an increase in the market share of non-leather footwear from 25% to 75% by 2030 (sports shoes, running shoes, casual wear, sneakers).
The upward trend for non-leather footwear is driven by younger, fashion-conscious consumers with greater disposable income, and propelled by a rising middle class, urbanization, and a preference for branded and casual footwear. E-commerce, which enables purchase at the click of a button, is another contributing factor, according to the GTRI.
“Leather footwear is becoming a niche, and this is being replaced by faux or synthetic leather with materials such as PU Leather, EVA, Rubber, etc. Hence, non-leather has huge potential for employment generation,” Mr. Sinha said.
“As non-leather units increase in number, semi-skilled workers can be deployed on the shop floor, and skilled professionals are required in computer-aided design. The other point to remember is that non-leather footwear has a low-entry price in the market, as low as ₹1,000, and over time the pricing can increase to ₹5,000 along with value addition to the product. Sports shoes by leading brands are already selling at prices from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000,” Mr. Sinha pointed out.
As for per capita consumption, the India figure is less than 2 pairs per person, and in Western countries, it is almost 7 per person. “Even if we reach the world average of 3.2, imagine the increase in volume,” Sinha said.
Other institutes for training and skill development
The Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI), located at Agra, offers a certificate course in manufacture of non-leather footwear. The Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul, Tamilnadu, offers a course in footwear design and accessories, which also covers non-leather. The Directorate General of Training, Govt. of India, offers a one-year Footwear Maker course, learnings from which will be useful for non-leather production as well.
National footprint, regional hub
Looking back at footwear as an industry category (leather and non-leather), major production centers in India are Chennai, Ranipet and Ambur, Mumbai, Kanpur, Jalandhar, Agra, Delhi, Karnal, Ludhiana, Sonepat, Faridabad, Pune, Kolkata, Calicut and Ernakulam. As for States with high potential for non-leather, Mr. Sinha mentioned Tamil Nadu as an upcoming regional hub for non-leather. The view is endorsed by Sumit Bothra, CEO, Inspire Edge, an international business consulting firm.
Tamil Nadu is one of the few States with non-leather-focused industrial estates, many of which are located in rural areas, Bothra said. “Some of the larger units have together invested as much as ₹20,000 crore. The Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled in Parliament in January, highlights the Tamil Nadu government’s strategic initiatives to foster footwear manufacturing, as well as its championing of the growth of non-leather footwear.”
Gender equality
Regarding workforce, the preference in the industry is for women, since they are willing to get trained in new skills, and handle work with more precision. The Tamil Nadu State government welcomes their employment as it enhances social and gender equality in the workplace and equitable distribution of income, Bothra said.
A case in point is laying of the foundation stone in November 2024 by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. K. Stalin for a new manufacturing unit of a Taiwanese company at the SIPCOT industrial park in Jayankondam. Through the investment of ₹1,000 crore, the footwear major is expected to generate employment for 15,000 people, majority of whom will be women.
Healthcare through footcare
Non-leather footwear is not just a fashion trend but serves as an enabler in the world of healthcare. Conditions such as diabetic foot, feet-related problems among children, and patients with foot-related problems require specialized footwear as recommended by the physician or pediatric podiatrist.
Gunasekar Selvaraj, co-founder, Happywalk India, a Coimbatore-based bootstrapped start-up, noted that non-leather for medical needs has the advantage of customization. For diabetics, it can be prescribed as off-the-shelf preventive footwear or customized as per the severity of the ailment and its likely impact on the foot. Likewise, for children with flatfoot and walking-related challenges, the pediatric range offers corrective footwear. Those with orthopedic issues such as knee pain can opt for made-to-order footwear based on a 3D foot scan, according to Mr. Selvaraj.
Arun, his shoemaker of three years, adds: “Job satisfaction for me is knowing that the sandal or chappal I created, helps to relieve suffering and makes a patient walk better.”
As a medical aid, daily need or fashion accessory, the segment is here to stay. The times ahead indicate high noon, not just a sunrise sector.
(The writer is a former journalist and advertising professional, now serving as a communications consultant).
Published – February 17, 2025 04:45 pm IST