Brexit affects each and every sector of our country, as exports, imports and tourism are the basis of our economy. But in this article we are going to focus on the Huelva town of Valverde del Camino, internationally known for its footwear industry. In order to be able to deeply analyse how the UK's exit from the European Union may affect it, we must take into account very different factors.
First of all, it is interesting to know that the 80% of the local footwear manufacturers frequently export to the United Kingdom, so it is very important to analyse their impact, so that these artisans can look for alternatives or improvements to be able to continue exporting. For this same reason, the president of the Association of Footwear and Related Manufacturers (Apical) of Valverde del Camino (Huelva), José Cejudo, has expressed concern in his latest statements, and has recognised that they must "sit down and analyse the possible consequences" that Brexit may bring them.
On the other hand, it seems that the historical relationship that this town has had with the British Isles still has a clear impact on the current reality, since as President Cejudo also points out, there is a special relationship, which is made even more evident after Kate Middleton appeared in public in 2010 wearing the typical Valverde boots, accompanied by her then fiancé William of England. In addition, this has not been the only time that she has worn the Valverde boots, but recently new photos have appeared wearing them, which means "great promotion" for the sector. This fact may ensure that, apart from the other economic factors that may influence, the relationship of the footwear industry in Valverde is not affected so negatively.
Furthermore, it cannot be forgotten that, at present, the twenty companies that make up the Apical association also export to different countries that are outside the European common market, key examples being Mexico, Japan or Switzerland, and to date there have been no problems in carrying out these commercial transactions, so it is assumed that there should not be any with the United Kingdom after its departure.
Apart from all this, President José Cejudo is fighting for a protected geographical indication, that is, to obtain a brand for Valverde del Camino hunting boots. This is a project that will highlight the artisanal character of Valverde boots, giving them a differentiating element, avoiding intrusion and promoting their national and international sales, with an exclusive character. A clear example of exclusivity is provided by José de Mora, a new brand manufactured by the company Sport y Equitación SL, located in Valverde del Camino, specialized in the manufacture of footwear and saddlery products. And he creates the new brand for top quality products by developing women's and men's footwear, innovating with new lines, new designs, achieving unique and exclusive footwear, as can be seen on his website. https://www.josedemora.com/
This leads us to the clear conclusion that the footwear market will be affected by Brexit like any other sector, but the new formulas created by innovative entrepreneurs in the area and the quality of the product will be able to alleviate and overcome any problems that this exit of the United Kingdom may entail.
