Finding the right shoe manufacturer to work with can be quite a laborious job, especially when looking in a big market like China.
4 Ways to Find Shoe Manufacturers
1. From Wholesales Market
For years, China has been the top shoemaker and exporter globally. In 2017 alone, its shoe industry made over US$104.7 billion, as per IBIS World. With over 14,400 Chinese shoe suppliers and 2.6 million workers, finding a trustworthy wholesale shoe supplier in China is simple.
Some of the advantages of sourcing from Chinese wholesale markets include:
1.They usually have cheaper prices because they can produce shoes at a lower cost and in large quantities. This means you can buy shoes for less money, making your profits higher.
2.A few wholesalers prioritise making sure their products meet high standards. This means you can get shoes that are of top-notch quality, lasting, and dependable.
3.Certain Chinese suppliers give you the option to customise your shoes. You can create unique designs or add your branding to them. This helps your products stand out and lets you build a special brand identity in the market.
4.Since there are so many suppliers and manufacturers in China, you can order more products or add new ones to your store, growing your business easily. This flexibility helps you adjust to what customers want and expand your online store quickly and smoothly.
Of course, there are downsides to sourcing from the wholesale market:
Getting products from China can lead to worries about intellectual property issues. Knockoff or fake shoes might break trademarks, patents, or copyrights. This can cause legal problems for your business and damage your reputation.
Here are some common wholesale markets in China you can source from:
1.Guangzhou Guangda Shoes Trade Center
The Guangda Shoes Trade Center is the largest spot brand shoes professional wholesale market in South China.
It mainly relies on the footwear manufacturing base in the Pearl River Delta to establish a spot wholesale market with foreign trade shoes and brand shoes as the main body.
The main products include sports shoes, casual shoes, hiking shoes, formal men’s shoes, formal women’s shoes, children’s shoes and so on. The styles are novel and fashionable, mostly seasonal goods, and the prices are super low.
2.Jinjiang Shoes Market
Jinjiang is a famous overseas footwear production and processing base. Jinjiang produces a wide range of footwear products with complete specifications.
There are hundreds of varieties and specifications such as sports shoes, traveling shoes, leather shoes, sandals, rubber shoes, casual shoes, and so on.
Among them, sports shoes and traveling shoes account for a quarter of the national total output, and the products are exported to more than 80 countries and regions in the world.
3.Wenzhou China Shoes Capital Shoe Leather City
Wenzhou is known as the shoe capital of China. Wenzhou China Shoes Capital Shoe Leather City covers an area of about 100 acres with 2,390 stores.
There are more than 2,500 shoe-making enterprises around the Shoe Leather City, which is located in the center of the shoe capital. It creates a one-stop service platform and five-star market for footwear products.
4.Chengdu Dazheng Shoes City
It only operates wholesale of medium and high-grade footwear products, with a construction area of about 30,000 square meters.
Dazheng shoes city according to the professional theme of the floor business planning, 1-2F is the brand shoes area, 3F is the fashion casual shoes area, and 4F is the international brand exhibition and sales area.
2. E-commerce Platform
While sourcing for wholesale shoe suppliers from the physical wholesale marketplace is great, sourcing them from e-commerce services is known for consistently pleasing customers worldwide.
They have a broad operation base and can easily manage big orders. They offer a wide range of shoe options. Reviews indicate they have a strong reputation for delivering quality service.
Its advantages include:
a. E-commerce sites often have chat features that let buyers talk directly with suppliers. This helps you clear up any questions about products, talk about prices and payment, and sort out any issues. It makes everything clearer and reduces misunderstandings.
b. You also get a vast array of shoe manufacturers and suppliers, providing a diverse range of styles, designs, and sizes to cater to various customer preferences.
Downsides include:
Some Chinese suppliers may have MOQ requirements that you must meet to place an order, which can be challenging if you are a smaller business or just looking to test new products.
Some e-commerce marketplaces you can source from include:
Alibaba (1688.Com)
Alibaba is a top choice for sourcing Chinese shoes wholesale and many other products. They’re headquartered in Hangzhou but have suppliers from all across China. To place wholesale orders, you’ll need a wholesaler license to set up an account.
This website offers cheap products, but the manufacturers require a high minimum order quantity (MOQ). It’s a great option for folks looking to import lots of shoes from China.
Alibaba acts as both a supplier and a platform for other suppliers, making your shopping convenient and centralized.
DHGate
DHGate has been around for more than 15 years. They were pioneers in setting up an online platform for wholesale shoe vendors and buyers in China.
Based in Beijing, DHGate mainly sells products from small and medium-scale Chinese factories, supporting small businesses. They’re big in the wholesale shoe scene, with many brands featured on their website.
They give discounts and cheaper prices if you shop through their app instead of the website. Sometimes you might find free shipping deals too. It’s a great spot to snag more for less.
Yiwugo
Yiwugo is a huge online marketplace based in Yiwu, China. It has over 200,000 suppliers and around 70,000 physical stores in the area. They offer a whopping 1.7 million products, including lots of shoes.
You can find everything you need right on their website, and they even show you where the suppliers are located. Many of the shoe wholesalers on Yiwugo also have stores in the Yiwu International Trade Market.
Since Yiwugo is about buying shoes from China online, most suppliers list their physical addresses on their product pages.
3. Factory
Working with factories directly can also be beneficial since you can closely assess the quality of materials and production processes first hand thereby allowing you to ensure that the shoes meet your standards and specifications, reducing the risk of receiving subpar products.
You will also be able to negotiate better pricing, avoid markup fees, and optimise the production processes to reduce expenses, ultimately improving your profit margins.
Finding the perfect manufacturers in China can be tough for many companies. They need to fit the brand, offer good prices, and provide high-quality products.
When you start looking for manufacturers, it’s important to know exactly how much you plan to sell the shoes for, and how many you want to make. With this information, you can focus on finding companies that are just right for your needs.
Going to trade fairs in China is a classic but great way to find factories. Events like the Canton Fair and the Shanghai International Fair are big deals where you can meet Chinese factories face-to-face.
Ask other fellow e-commerce businesses who have dealt with Chinese factories for recommendations. Getting referrals from trusted sources can be a great way to find reliable manufacturing partners.
4. Shoe Agent Team
Shoe Agent Teams know a lot about the market and industry in China. They’re good at figuring out complicated supply chains, finding good manufacturers, and getting good deals for their clients.
These agents have connections with lots of shoemakers and suppliers all over China. Using their connections lets businesses get different kinds of shoes and find new places to get them. Acting as a middleman,
They can help reduce risks that come with trading across borders, like language barriers and cultural differences. They give extra support and guidance when you are finding sources for shoes.
What qualifications should a shoe manufacturer possess?
Knowledge of production processes such as cutting, shaping, stitching, and assembly.
Knowledge of different types of shoes and their components.
Knowledge of materials used to make shoes.
Quality control and inspection skills.
Ability to create prototypes and design sketches.
Understanding of fundamental business principles, sales, and marketing.
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
Working knowledge of safety regulations related to shoe manufacturing.
What experience is required to be a shoe manufacturer?
A shoe manufacturer typically requires education, technical training, and experience.
Hands-on experience in shoe-making is often essential, either through an apprenticeship with a shoemaker or a similar role in the industry.
China has a long history of shoe production, and it is, at this point, the largest producer in the world.
China has a labor advantage in its manufacturing industry; more than that, it has rich experience in shoe manufacturing. The shoes made in China are of high quality and at a very competitive price.
The Chinese footwear market still has no sign of slowing down in the coming years.
Many of the leading Chinese footwear companies are expected to achieve tremendous success in the China shoe market in the future.
These are some famous shoe manufacturers in China.
- Belle
Belle is China’s largest women’s shoe manufacturer, representing nearly 25% of the market share.
Established in Shenzhen, Guangdong, in 1991, Belle has been manufacturing, distributing, and retailing elegant, easy-to-mix, and matching footwear products to its domestic and many international markets.
- Daphne
Daphne International Holdings Limited is a Hong Kong-based investment holding company that is also one of the largest shoe manufacturers in China.
The Company operates through several segments, including the sales of footwear products under Daphne and Shoe Box and other brands, the manufacturing of fashion and accessory products, and the e-commerce businesses through its subsidiaries.
- Red Dragonfly
Red Dragonfly Footwear Co., Ltd is one of the leading shoe companies in China. Its core business is the manufacturing and selling of leather shoes and apparel under the brand name Red Dragonfly.
It’s also one of the largest leather shoe manufacturers in China. The Company’s main products are adult men’s and women’s shoes, children’s shoes and apparel, leather belts, leather wallets, leather handbags, and suitcases.
- Zhejiang Aokang Shoes
Founded in 1988 with its headquarter in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, Zhejiang Aokang Shoes Co. Ltd is another leading leather shoe manufacturer in China and internationally. It provides comfort and pedometer shoes for men and women.
- Spider King
Spider King Group, also based in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, is one of China’s largest shoe manufacturers and distributors of upscale shoes. The Company specializes in producing and selling commercial leather shoes, casual shoes, fashion high heels, and many more.
Its sales network covers over 2,000 licensed distributors and retailers worldwide in China. The Company also has China’s leather logo certification and IS09002 international quality system certification.
Conclusion
Finding a reliable shoe manufacturer isn’t easy. However, with the proper research, you can identify and select one that meets your needs and budget.
