Key takeaways
- Most water shoes are traded under HS 6404.19 (textile uppers, rubber or plastic soles). China exported US$12.55 billion of HS 6404 in 2023, 91% of it under 6404.19.
- The United States is the largest destination for China’s HS 6404 exports (22%), followed by Russia, Japan, Germany and the UK.
- In the EU, Vietnam (37.7%) and China (37.4%) supply almost the same share of HS 6404 imports, but China ships about twice the weight — it dominates the lower price points.
- Chile, Peru and South Africa buy about half of their HS 6404 imports from China; Spain buys about a third.
- In Google Trends, interest in “water shoes” is highest in the US, then Canada, Australia, the UK and New Zealand.
There is no customs code just for water shoes. Customs statistics put them together with other footwear that has a textile upper — so any honest market estimate has to start from the wider category and narrow down. This report uses official trade data where it exists and labels every figure with its source and year.
1. Which customs code covers water shoes?
Most water shoes — aqua socks, mesh barefoot shoes, knit sock-style shoes — have a textile upper and a rubber or plastic outsole. That puts them under HS 6404.19. US Customs rulings have classified aqua socks and textile-upper aqua shoes in 6404.19. Styles whose upper is mainly rubber or plastic may fall under HS 6402.99 instead. (More detail in our HS code guide.)
Because HS 6404 also includes canvas sneakers, slippers and other textile shoes, the figures below show the size of the wider category, not water shoes alone.
2. China’s exports
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| China footwear exports, all types | 9.02 billion pairs, US$41.55 billion (−11.3%) | 2025 | China Leather Industry Association |
| China exports of HS 6404 | US$12.55 billion (−20.3%) | 2023 | UN Comtrade via TrendEconomy |
| of which HS 6404.19 | US$11.4 billion (91%) | 2023 | UN Comtrade via TrendEconomy |
| China exports of HS 6402 | US$26.3 billion (−7.7%) | 2023 | UN Comtrade via TrendEconomy |
Top destinations for China’s HS 6404 exports (2023)
| # | Country | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 22% |
| 2 | Russia | 5.76% |
| 3 | Japan | 5.52% |
| 4 | Germany | 3.6% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 2.84% |
| 6 | South Korea | 2.82% |
| 7 | Spain | 2.73% |
| 8 | Philippines | 2.67% |
| 9 | Kyrgyzstan | 2.56% |
| 10 | United Arab Emirates | 2.32% |
3. The import side
Worldwide, HS 6404 trade was about US$45.9 billion in 2024 (OEC). China and Vietnam are the two largest exporters; the United States, Germany and France are the largest importers.
Inside the EU, Eurostat data shows Vietnam (37.7%) and China (37.4%) supplying almost equal shares of HS 6404 imports by value, while China ships roughly twice the weight. In practice this means China supplies most of the entry and mid-price textile footwear — the segment where aqua socks and most water shoes sit.
How much each market buys from China (HS 6404, 2023)
| Country | HS 6404 imports | Change | Share from China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | US$357 million | −26% | 52% |
| Peru | US$269 million | −13% | 52% |
| South Africa | US$248 million | −32% | 49% |
| Mexico | US$742 million | −8% | 39% |
| Spain | US$1.84 billion | +3.65% | 34% |
| Italy | US$1.99 billion | −4.3% | 14.5% |
| Brazil | US$224 million | +8.8% | 9.46% |
Brazil is the outlier: its anti-dumping duty on Chinese footwear keeps China’s share low. Mexico raised tariffs on non-FTA footwear from January 2026. See our Latin America import guide.
4. Consumer demand signals
Trade data shows where shoes go; search data shows where shoppers look for them. Google Trends ranks countries by the share of searches for “water shoes” (Oct 2021 – Oct 2026, 100 = highest):
| Country | Interest |
|---|---|
| United States | 100 |
| Canada | 65 |
| Australia | 59 |
| United Kingdom | 51 |
| New Zealand | 46 |
| Ireland | 32 |
| South Africa | 27 |
| United Arab Emirates | 25 |
Trends values are relative to each country’s total searches, not absolute search volumes. Non-English markets use local words — see what water shoes are called in each country.
On Amazon US (checked 5 October 2026, off-season), a search for “water shoes” returned more than 20,000 results, and the best-selling aqua sock listing showed “5K+ bought in past month”. The top kids listings showed 200–300+ a month.
5. What this means for buyers
- English-speaking markets (US, Canada, UK, Australia) combine the highest search interest with large volumes — the core for Amazon and retail programs.
- Chile, Peru and South Africa already source about half of this category from China; importers there are used to China supply chains.
- Spain is the large EU market that buys most from China, and its imports grew in 2023.
- Use market-size reports with care: published estimates for the “water shoe market” vary widely between research firms.
Building a range for one of these markets? Ask us for a quote and sample plan.
Sources
- TrendEconomy — China exports of HS 6404 (UN Comtrade, 2023)
- TrendEconomy — China exports of HS 6402 (UN Comtrade, 2023)
- TheTradeHub.eu — EU imports of HS 6404 (Eurostat)
- OEC — Textile footwear (HS 6404) world trade
- Leather News — China footwear exports 2025 (China Leather Industry Association data)
- TrendEconomy — Chile HS 6404 imports
- TrendEconomy — Peru HS 6404 imports
- TrendEconomy — South Africa HS 6404 imports
- TrendEconomy — Spain HS 6404 imports
- TrendEconomy — Mexico HS 6404 imports
- TrendEconomy — Italy HS 6404 imports
- TrendEconomy — Brazil HS 6404 imports
- Google Trends — “water shoes”, interest by country, Oct 2021 – Oct 2026