THE COMFORT REVOLUTION!
WHAT IS THE CONSUMER REALLY BUYING?
ISF WEEKLY | GLOBAL MARKET TRENDS | Edition 05 | 26 OCTOBER 2026
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THE VOICE OF ISF | EDITION 14 RELEASED
THE FUTURE OF FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURING IS INTELLIGENT
AI, Robotics and Automation: Transforming the Factory of Tomorrow
The Indian Shoe Federation is pleased to announce the release of Edition 14 of its fortnightly publication, The VOICE of ISF, dated 26 October 2026.
This edition features Mr A. Camalarajan, Managing Director, Priya Impex Consultants, Chennai, whose pioneering work in advanced footwear machinery and automation is helping manufacturers embrace the next generation of intelligent production technologies.Read. Reflect. Stay Connected
The STRIDE | OCTOBER 2026 EDITION
Tradition. Transformation. Opportunity.
Charting New Paths for a Global Footwear India.Read on:
ISF | SEPTEMBER 2026 IN REVIEW
Dear Sir
Greetings from the Indian Shoe Federation!
We are pleased to share “ISF: Month of September 2026 in Review” — capturing a significant month of knowledge, engagement, industry perspectives and market intelligence.
From two editions of VOICE of ISF and the September edition of The STRIDE, to our 34th Annual General Meeting, five insightful Special Presentations, and the launch of the maiden ISF Weekly Footwear Market Trends Report, September has been a month of purposeful engagement with our members and the industry.
We invite you to read the attached report and remain engaged with ISF as we continue our endeavour towards a stronger and more competitive Indian footwear industry.
Warm regards,
INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION
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REPORT on 34th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION
Dear Members,
Greetings from the Indian Shoe Federation. We are pleased to share with you two reports covering the 34th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Shoe Federation, held on 28th September 2026 at Taj Club House, Chennai.
The first report presents the proceedings of the Business Session, including the President’s address, the statutory business of the Federation and important developments emerging from the AGM.
The second report captures the Special Presentations that followed; bringing together valuable perspectives on the opportunities and challenges before the Indian footwear industry, including scale, design, technology, quality, delivery, branding, skills and sustainability. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 34th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ISF HELD ON 28th SEPTEMBER 2026.
Together, the two reports provide a record not merely of an Annual General Meeting, but of an evening of reflection, knowledge sharing and forward thinking. INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION
REPORT on 34th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION
Report on SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ISF 34th AGM | STEPPING INTO THE FUTURE, TOGETHER
The 34th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Shoe Federation (ISF), held on 28 September 2026 at Taj Club House, Chennai, brought together members, industry leaders and knowledge partners for an evening of reflection, dialogue and forward thinking.
In his address, Mr P. S. Suresh, President, ISF, reviewed the Federation's journey around its four pillars—Innovation, Sustainability, Global Competitiveness and Inclusivity—and called for the industry to move from awareness to adoption and from intent to execution.
A significant milestone of the AGM was the appointment of Dr Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed, Executive Chairman, KICL, as Vice President of ISF, further strengthening the Federation's leadership as it expands its engagement with technology, design, skills, knowledge and industry–institution collaboration.
The evening's Special Presentations brought valuable perspectives from Dr Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed and Dr N. Mohan of KICL, Mr J. Suresh Kumar of CLARKS, Mr Dishant Daryani of COMET, Mr Camal Rajan of PRIYA IMPEX, and Mr P. Venkatesan of SGS—covering scale and global opportunity, design intervention, brand expectations, consumer aspiration, manufacturing technology and sustainability.
Together, the discussions reinforced one overarching message: India's footwear opportunity is significant, but converting opportunity into leadership will require design, technology, quality, skills, sustainability and disciplined execution
As ISF looks ahead, its commitment remains:
Representing the Industry.
Connecting the Ecosystem.
Enabling the Future.
INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION
Stepping into the Future, Together.
The NATIONAL FOOTWEAR QUIZ PROGRAMME
ADD DEPTH TO KNOWLEDGE
But beyond the questions, answers and competition, there is something far more meaningful happening.
Organised by the Indian Shoe Federation in association with Mr Ramesh Subramaniam
The Indian Shoe Federation (ISF) hosted a special initiative — the National Footwear Quiz 2026 — on 18 August 2026 at CORIUM Hall, CSIR-CLRI, Chennai, bringing together enthusiastic students from CFTI, FDDI and the Department of Leather Technology, Anna University
Please click to view QUIZ REPORT
Special Presentations on the occasion of
the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING held on 3rd July 2026
The presentations focused on three strategic themes:
• Sustainability, ESG and the European regulatory landscape.
• Artificial Intelligence for supplier visibility and international business development.
• AI-powered Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions for digital transformation.
Collectively, the presentations highlighted how sustainability, digitalisation and artificial intelligence are rapidly becoming indispensable business enablers rather than optional initiatives.
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ISF' EC Meeting held on 3rd July 2026 @ Hotel TAJ Connemara
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Report on the Special Presentations, coming soon
ISF at the Indonesia Footwear Summit
13-15 April 2025, Jakarta, Indonesia, Mr PS Suresh, President, Indian Shoe Federation spoke on"Innovative Materials: Powering a Sustainable Future for Footwear.
Please click here for ISF at the Indonesia Footwear Summit
ISF at CROSSLINX | CSIR-CLRI | 30th March 2026
“The future belongs to connected excellence, not isolated success.” At CROSSLINX’26, held on 30th March 2026 at the Triple Helix Auditorium, CSIR–Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, Mr. P. S. Suresh, President of the Indian Shoe Federation, delivered the Chief Guest address, setting a forward-looking tone for the industry
We are pleased to present our maiden edition.
- India has emerged as a trusted, value-added global exporter (>USD 5 billion), powered by knowledge, research, and adaptability
- The next decade will be shaped by four structural shifts
- Sustainability as a strategic differentiator
- Material innovation expanding product frontiers
- Digital & smart manufacturing enabling data-driven operations<
- Changing consumer behaviour (casualisation & athleisure)
- The real opportunity lies in integrating these forces—balancing sustainability, innovation, efficiency, and responsibility.
- Efficiency and yield remain critical, often under-recognised drivers of competitiveness
- Talent is both India’s biggest constraint—and its greatest opportunity.
- Global expectations have moved beyond cost & capacity → towards sustainability, agility, innovation, and talent.
- A message to young professionals: Stay curious. Build both breadth and depth. Own your impact.
- True synergy will enable India not just to grow—but to define the future of the global leather & footwear industry.
- Distinguished industry members present included Mr. Ateequr Rahman (Chairman, IFLMEA), Mr. Yavar Dhala (Vice President, ISF), Mr. C. Anbumalar (Vice Chairman, PA Footwear), Mr Raja Babu (President, ALFA), Mr Manoj Bhaiya (Chairman, C & E Ltd) along with Dr. P. Thanikaivelan (Director, CLRI) and Dr. K. J. Sreeram (Scientist H & Head, Department of Leather Technology).
- #IndianShoeFederation #CROSSLINX2026 #CLRI #LeatherIndustry #FootwearIndustry #Sustainability #Innovation #DigitalManufacturing #MaterialInnovation #SkillDevelopment #MakeInIndia #GlobalTrade #Leadership #FutureOfWork
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ISF felicitates Mr R Selvam, IAS
The Indian Shoe Federation had the privilege of hosting Mr R Selvam, IAS, Executive Director, Council for Leather Exports, for a Special Talk during its EC Meeting in Chennai held on March 27th, 2026.
Mr Selvam shared valuable insights from his 8-year tenure at CLE, highlighting the growth potential of the Indian Leather & Footwear sector, the importance of industry–government collaboration, and opportunities in both global and domestic markets
He expressed confidence that Tamil Nadu will emerge as the Footwear Capital of India.
ISF members warmly felicitated Mr Selvam and expressed their deep appreciation for his outstanding contribution to the industry.
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ISF – EC Meeting - Industry Talk Highlights (27th March 2026)
At its EC Meeting in Chennai, ISF held an engaging Industry Talk on key challenges and opportunities in the footwear & leather sector.
Discussions covered rising input costs of petroleum-based materials, pricing pressures, and the need for industry-wide alignment.
The concept of AI-driven “Dark Room Factory” manufacturing and the growing importance of the Indian domestic market were also highlighted.
ISF will explore a meeting with suppliers to better understand cost trends.
Key updates included participation in the Indonesia Footwear Summit, support to the TANSAM Elite Lab, focus on activities of the Innovation Hub, the other 3 pillars - Competitiveness, Sustainability Training and the launch of “Voice of ISF” for member insights
ISF related administrative matters were discussed and a half yearly report of ISF activities was released.
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Please click View ISF Half Year Report (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026)