China

AAFA reports drop in shoe imports.

While China still supplies more than eight out of every 10 shoes sold in the U.S., domestic production is on the up. A recent report by the AAFA (American Apparel and Footwear Association) found that in 2012, the number of shoes manufactured in the United States increased by 9 percent. This rise combined with a corresponding fall in imports caused import penetration in the footwear market to fall slightly for the second year in a row, from 98.7 percent to 98.6 percent.

Read More »

A Chinese factory worker claims 440-pound iron shoes cure back pain.

As someone who suffers from chronic back pain, I’ve heard it all: walk more, rest more, lift weights, don’t exercise, DO excercise, never wear high heels, never wear flats. The list goes on. But today’s story from China really takes the biscuit. Zhang Fuxing, a factory worker, says walking in huge iron shoes weighing more than 440 pounds each can cure back pain.

Read More »

The October/November 2024 Issue

Read Now