September 15, 2026 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Public attention on tariffs may have cooled over the summer, but the financial squeeze on shoe companies and American households has only intensified.

Footwear brands continue to battle high tariffs, trade policy uncertainty, and rising supply chain expenses. After months of absorbing these hits, companies are running out of room—and those costs are now surfacing at checkout, evident throughout the back-to-school shopping season.

Read full release here.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Matt Priest, please contact fdracomms@cgagroup.com.

About FDRA: FDRA is governed and directed by footwear executives and is the only trade organization focused solely on the footwear industry. Serving the full footwear supply chain, it boosts its members’ bottom lines through innovative products, training, consulting on footwear design and development, sourcing and compliance, trade and customs, advocacy, and consumer and sales trend analysis for shoe retailers around the world. FDRA supports 500 companies and brands worldwide, representing 98% of the total U.S. footwear industry.

To schedule an interview with Matt Priest on the state of the footwear industry, please email fdracomms@cgagroup.com.