The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) and the British Footwear Association (BFA) announced Thursday a strategic partnership to strengthen ties between footwear companies in the U.S. and in the U.K. The two associations will share marketplace data and regulatory and customs information to help keep footwear companies better informed.
“Our new alliance with FDRA will greatly help British footwear companies better understand the U.S. market, as well as the cumbersome import rules and product safety regulations impacting U.K. companies,” said Michael Kelly, BFA chairman and commercial chief executive and joint chairman of the Sutton Group. “We will likewise provide similar information to American footwear companies seeking to grow their market share in the U.K. As the leading footwear trade associations in our respective countries this is a natural fit and we are very excited,” he added.
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In terms of buying power, BFA chief executive John Saunders said the American footwear market is the largest in the world and its members want to sell more to the U.S. “British consumers also want more product choices and are already buying American brands. We are eager to continue to develop this relationship and deliver some great results for companies on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said.
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Saunders added, “U.S. and U.K. footwear companies face the same challenges in terms of market access, sourcing and increasing product regulations. There are enormous benefits from developing a closer working relationship with FDRA, and this will broaden the international co-operation we already have with European footwear associations through our membership of the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC).”
As part of the partnership, the FDRA and BFA will combine efforts to improve social compliance at footwear factories globally.
FDRA president Matt Priest said, “The benefits of a strategic partnership with John and the BFA team are self-evident, footwear customs, product safety, and compliance rules are changing around the world and together we can better help our respective members. In addition, this is the first step to enhance our collaborative efforts in advocating for the fair treatment of footwear in markets across the globe, and we will also work with the BFA on FDRA’s industry Code of Conduct and Responsible Footwear Manufacturing Program.”