Domestic technical textiles Industry Segment-wise consumption of ...

Shoe laces
Shoe lace is a band that pulls the shoe together to hold it to the foot. A shoelace consists of two
components: a tape that pulls the shoe tightly together, and an aglet, the hardened taped end that fits
through the eyelets on a shoe or boot. Shoe laces are also known as shoestrings or boot laces
Shoe Laces also find application in garments (kids wear), shopping bags, office stationary, home
decoration etc. However the consumption in these applications is negligible as compared to that in the
footwear industry.
Product characteristics
Shoe laces are primarily made of Polyester, Cotton and Nylon. Polyester shoe laces dominate the
market because of higher durability and better anti-slip properties. Cotton shoe laces are waxed to
improve their performance and appearance.
Shoe laces are manufactured in variety of colours, shapes and sizes. Shoe laces are available in
colours such as white, black, brown, blue, green, red, orange, yellow, etc. as well as colour
combinations and patterns based on customer requirements. The product can be flat, round or oval in
shape. Round laces are generally used for leather/formal shoes where as flat laces find majority of its
application in sport/casual shoes.
Type of lace Average Width / Diameter
Flat 8-10 mm
Round 3-5 mm
Source: Industry survey
Shoe laces are manufactured in standard sizes of 24”, 30”, 36”, 48” etc. as well as custom made as per
the required length which depends on the application. The 24” and 30” sizes constitute 80% of the
market.
Market dynamics and key growth drivers
Shoe laces are a commodity product. The simple technology level and minimal functionality of the
product make it difficult for manufacturers to differentiate their products. Since the product
contributes a small share to the total cost of footwear, most footwear manufacturers allow their
manufacturing units to source shoe laces locally rather than doing centralised purchase. Thus, cost
competitiveness and ability to provide variety of shades are the critical factors for success.
Majority of the consumption of shoe laces is in the footwear industry. Footwear industry is a
significant segment of Indian industry with India ranking second among the footwear producing