The Australian Boot Trade Employees' Federation was registered federally in 1908 following the earlier registration of the Adelaide, New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian state-based unions. The Union existed independently until the 1980s when imports began to affect the footwear and clothing industries. In 1987 it amalgamated with the Australian Textile Workers' Union to become the Amalgamated Footwear and Textile Workers' Union of Australia, and in 1992, a further amalgamation with the Federated Clothing and Allied Trades Union created the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia.

The Amalgamated Footwear & Textile Workers' Union of Australia was formed in 1987, following an amalgamation between the Australian Boot Trade Employees' Federation and the Australian Textile Workers' Union. The Union can be traced to about 1886 with the formation of the Victorian Silk Hatters' Society, which evolved in 1912, as the Federated Felt Hatting Employees' Union of Australasia. Shortly before this, in 1908, the Australian Boot Trade Employees' Federation was formed. In 1919, the third branch of the Amalgamated Footwear & Textile Workers' Union of Australia family tree was established with the formation and federal registration of the Australian Textile Workers' Union.

In 1984, The Australian Textile Workers' Union (i) and the Federated Felt Hatting & Allied Trade Employees' Union of Australia (the successor of the Federated Felt Hatting Employees' Union of Australasia) merged to form the Australian Textile Workers' Union (ii).

Operating until 1992 the Amalgamated Footwear & Textile Workers' Union of Australia eventually merged with the Clothing & Allied Trades Union of Australia to become the Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia.