The Formation of Wenzhou Footwear Clusters: How Were the Entry Barriers Overcome?

markets, such as the Wenzhou “Footwear City” Market, the Hetonqiao Footwear Accessories &
Ornamental Materials Market, the South Zhejiang Footwear Accessories and Ornamental
Materials Market, the Original Leather Market, Leather and Footwear Machine Market and the
Leather Chemical Market, etc. In 2004, the total output of the Wenzhou footwear cluster amounted
to 835 million pairs (including 452,980,000 leather shoes, 3,440,000 cloth shoes, 378,630,000
rubber shoes)⁴ and employs over 400,000 people.⁵ Table 1 shows the yearly output and export
status of shoes during 2001-2004.

Figure 1 The structure of Wenzhou footwear cluster

Source: Footwear Leather Association of Wenzhou City, Footwear Materials Chamber of Commerce and Author’s
field survey.

⁴ Wenzhou Statistical Yearbook (2005).

⁵ Wenzhou Shoes and Leather Industry Association

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