A Dois Passos do Futuro

In recent years, the Portuguese footwear industry has undergone a profound structural transformation. The exhibition A DOIS PASSOS DO FUTURO (Two Steps From the Future) revealed this shift, the result of the work led by APICCAPS – the Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers Association, and CTCP – the Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre. Curated and developed by Associação ModaLisboa, the exhibition was on display at MUDE – Museum of Design, from November 28, 2025 to January 26, 2026, and brought together the outcomes of cooperative scientific, technological and material research that has repositioned the cluster as an international benchmark in the sustainable transition.

Built around the Bioshoes4all program, the exhibition translated what usually remains within the specialised domains of engineering, technology centres and production units: quiet but essential transformations that redefine raw materials, industrial processes and development models. Plant-based stabilized leathers, biomaterials derived from natural fibres or agro-industrial residues, biobased polymers, recyclable composites and circular economy solutions are presented as signs of a systemic shift rather than isolated innovations.

A DOIS PASSOS DO FUTURO helped to clarify complex processes: how ecodesign methodologies are applied, how post-consumer waste is reintegrated, and how digital platforms support resource sharing, decision-making and transparency across the cluster. The exhibition revealed not only what has changed, but how that change was built through a productive culture grounded in technical rigor, environmental responsibility and long-term strategic thinking.