Despite the generally dismal export climate, a large number of Chinese exporters reliant on labor-intensive processes have expanded swiftly in recent years.
Ma Yao, the director of a Jiangsu province-based trading firm that exports shoes and boots, stated, “The first quarter was significantly better than the same period last year, and our conservative estimate is that our revenue will increase by at least 50 percent.”
Ma told Yicai Global that this is due to the accumulation of a large number of new consumers over the past two years due to the popularity of products like fur slippers, and that the company is also taking the initiative to expand in the same category.
The organization will keep collecting consumer requirements and adapt to market demand.
In Quanzhou, Fujian Province, the production base for the foam injection molding rain boots has been extremely active due to the recent popularity of Big Red Boots on the Ali International trading platform.
General manager of Beijing Diamond Sport International Trading, whose factory is located in Quanzhou, Zhao Xiadi, stated that the company initially produced waterproof shoes, but after learning about the fashion trend, they quickly combined fashion elements to redesign, adjusted the molds, and put them on trial sale in the Chinese market last month.
“At this time, the feedback from domestic sales remains positive, whereas the foreign market is still in development,” noted Zhao.
During the pandemic, Zhao identified trends from big data and responded swiftly. In 2020, the company rebranded its main category of cargo shoes as boots for pandemic prevention and relaunched them in redesigned packaging. The shoes were a worldwide success, with singular orders exceeding 10,000 pairs.
Zhao reported that pandemic prevention boot exports earned the company over CNY20 million (USD2.9 million) in six months.
The support of flexible production is inseparable from the ability to rapidly identify and respond to popular elements. According to Qin Fen, head of the industry and merchant business department at Ali International Station, digitalization has become the fundamental capability of China’s supply chains, including for clothing, shoes, and bags. Personalized and customized products are frequently more profitable.
According to customs data, exports of footwear products and parts in the first quarter totaled USD13.19 billion, a decrease of 4.9% year-over-year. The exports of labor-intensive goods, such as bags and apparel, increased by 5.7% from the previous year.