Two things significantly improve the quality of life – the mattress we sleep on and shoes. Every year, footwear production is increasing to meet the needs of the growing and enriching population. About 20 billion pairs of shoes are produced annually, including almost 13 billion pairs in China alone. Wenzhou is one of the major footwear manufacturing centers in China. If you want to import goods, the common practice is to familiarize yourself with the offer of producers displaying their products in the wholesale market and then paying a visit to the factory of the selected manufacturer to get to know the products and the company’s policy. When visiting the factory, you can go to trade shows taking place in the area. The planned visit must not coincide with the most important Chinese holidays, which usually do not fall on the same date every year.
About Wenzhou, footwear production area in China
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in Zhejiang Province, surrounded by mountains and the East China Sea. There is a treaty and fishing port originating in ancient times. Wenzhou is an essential center of the leather and footwear industry.
Wenzhou – footwear production region in China
It is not without reason that Wenzhou is called the “Chinese capital of footwear.” Authorities gave residents greater freedom in running their businesses, which led to the creation of many enterprises. As a result, over 3,000 footwear manufacturers place on the market a billion different pairs of shoes every year.
Most footwear manufacturers are in three places: Lucheng District, Yongjia, and Rui’an. In addition, thousands of enterprises are involved in footwear-related activities, supplying shoe machines, components, accessories, and much more. Below are some of the places with a wide range of footwear located in Wenzhou.
- Wenzhou Shoes City
Opened in 1995, Wenzhou Shoes City is one of the first centers in Wenzhou of such type. Over 150 exhibitors cover an area of about 3,000 m2. They offer good quality products from well-known brands. The center is easily accessible by public transport.
Location: No. 152 Renmin West, Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Website: pf.53shop.com/pifashichang/show3848.html
- Wenzhou Daxia
It is located opposite Wenzhou Shoes City. The most fashionable products for the current season are offered there at slightly higher prices.
Location: No. 145 Renmin West, Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Wenzhou International Shoes City
This complex, with a total area of 160,000 m2, has been operating since 2015. Approximately 1,200 exhibitors offer various footwear models for men, women, and children, satisfying even the most demanding consumers. In addition, the center has a rest zone, conference center, a food court, and many other areas.
Location: No. 79 Shoudu, Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Website: huoyuanzhijia.com/shichang/show-398.html
- Jinding Xiecheng
There you can find various types of footwear in many styles at affordable prices. It is located 150 meters from Wenzhou West Station.
Location: Jinding, Dongtun, Putian, Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Footwear trade fairs in Wenzhou, China
The trade fairs held in Wenzhou are usually related to the production of footwear and clothing, presenting raw materials and machinery as well as finished products. Below is a list of selected trade shows.
- China (Wenzhou) International Sewing & Clothing Equipment Fair
Location: Wenzhou International Convention & Exhibition Center, Wenzhou, China
Website: wzsew.com/visit_notice.htm
- China (Wenzhou) International Leather Shoe Material & Shoe Machinery Fair
Location: Wenzhou International Convention & Exhibition Center, Wenzhou, China
Website: hinaleatherfair.com
- China International Synthetic Leather Fair
Location: Wenzhou International Convention & Exhibition Center, Wenzhou, China
Website: chinaleatherfair.com
Wenzhou – region of footwear production in China. A Guide
How to get to Wenzhou?
1. By plane
Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, located about 20 km from downtown, operates mainly domestic airplane connections, for example, from Guangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Kunming, and Changsha.
At the airport, buses running from 5:40 AM to 8 PM stop at major stations in the city. They leave every 10-30 minutes; the cost of the ticket is from 2 to 5 RMB.
The shuttle bus ride lasts 35 minutes and costs 15 RMB. Another bus stops at Wenzhou South (80 minutes, 12 RMB).
A taxi ride to the city center costs up to 120 RMB and takes about 40 minutes.
2. By train
Sometimes traveling by train takes longer than by bus because of the mountainous area of Wenzhou. Many trains stop at Wenzhou Avenue station, connected to Chezhan Avenue. The fast-speed railways from Shanghai stop at Wenzhou South, passing through Hangzhou, Ningbo, Taizhou, further going to Fuzhou and Xiamen. The ticket price depends on the selected class; below, we present you few example connections:
- Shanghai – 3.5 hours – 200 to 640 RMB
- Hangzhou – 2.5 hours – 140 to 500 RMB
- Ningbo – 2 hours – 100 to 300 RMB
- Taizhou – 1 hour – 40 to 130 RMB
- Fuzhou – 2 hours – 100 to 300 RMB
- Xiamen – 3.5 hours – 200 to 300 RMB.
3. By coach
Bus lines from many surrounding major Chinese cities connect them to Wenzhou. There are several major stations: buses from Shanghai stop at New South Station (up to approx. 200 RMB), the same goes for buses from Fuzhou (150 RMB). Buses from Hangzhou (150 RMB) and Ningbo (114 RMB) go to New City Station; buses from Yiwu (106 RMB) and Qingdao (380 RMB) stop at Shuangyu Bus Station.
How to get around Wenzhou?
The metro is one of the most convenient means of transport. In Wenzhou, a line connecting the most important points – train stations and the city center – is available. The metro operates from around 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM. In the future, the network will be expanded, connecting the city to the airport. Ticket prices start from 2 RMB.
The easiest option is to go by taxi, preferably accompanied by a local guide. Prices start from RMB 11 for the first 3.5 km; then the fare is 2.5 RMB for each kilometer (3 RMB in the night taxi service), sometimes an additional fuel charge or waiting time is added.
The cost of a bus ticket is between 1.50 and 2.5 RMB.
US duty for footwear
Importing goods from China require payment of customs duties. When importing shoes, you should expect rates up to several dozen percent per pair. For example, the rate of a pair of sandals made of plastic (6402.99.27) is 3%, house slippers (6402.99.31) – 6%, protective active footwear (6402.99.32) – 20%, footwear incorporating a protective metal toe-cap (6401.10.00) – 37.5%. In the matters of the US-China trade war, to some types of footwear, like protective active footwear and footwear incorporating a protective metal toe-cap, an additional duty of 15% should be added.
If you are interested in other production regions, check out our posts on this topic.
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