Shoe+IndustryAndrew+Walker

China is the biggest shoe producing country in the world producing over 1/3 of the worlds' top brand-name sport shoes.

media type="custom" key="8690094" align="center" China is the biggest shoe producing in the world, producing over 1/3 of the world’s shoes. Most of the shoes are made from Italian leather and leather. China has been in the business for 3 decades, but in 1984 a big fight started when Nike and Reebok argued that the condition of the factories was good enough to continue. Then a factory called “Yue Yuen” was established in 1989, they agreed to produce both Nike and Reebok. Yue Yuen is a huge factory, employing 50,000-60,000 workers and 80% of them are women 18-22 years old. The workers in China do not get that much respect or dignity. They work 11hr a day, 2-4 days off, and gloves and masks are provided for only some workers but not all leaving workers without protection. 90% of the workers are women. Minimum wage is $30-$42 per/ mouth and $36.14-$72.29 with overtime. That is barely enough to get by for a month. People in China wear sandals most of the time because of the hot climate. Shoes are important to wear in China because of all the things that are on the ground. In China there are 150 different types of shoes. In 1984 shoe making in China was put on a stand-still because of the two major brands were fighting about the working conditions of the factories. But in 1989 they resolved there differences. Shoes are still made in China and still going. Brands like Nike, Reebok, Crocs and more are being made in China. When the costs of production began to rise in the United States and Europe, and workers organized and exercised collective bargaining power, sports shoe companies relocated their factories in Asia where wages were much lower. Shoes in China are being made fast and shipped to the U.S for people to buy. Some factories are so disgusting with the safety and the working conditions.