Snow boot industry thrives in Taizhou, E China's Zhejiang

Even in the freezing winter, people's passion for sports remains strong. In snow-rich regions of China, snow boots made by manufacturers in Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, are helping people stay warm while enjoying winter sports.

In a livestream studio at a shared workshop in Shangni village, Luqiao district, Taizhou, a host holds a pair of snow boots, recommending them to viewers during a livestreaming session. The number of orders keeps ticking up.

Meanwhile, at a nearby textile company, the snow boot production line is running at full throttle. Once the boots are finished, they're swiftly packed and shipped out to places across China and even overseas.

A host introduces snow boots to viewers during a livestreaming session in Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Zhejiang Daily)

Taizhou is one of China's major footwear manufacturing hubs. Shangni village, known for its decades of experience in shoe and hat production, generates an annual output of over 1 billion yuan ($144 million).

In the past, the local snow boot industry faced challenges such as unpredictable orders, slim profit margins, and fierce competition. However, an increasing number of companies are shifting their focus from prioritizing volume and slashing prices to emphasizing quality and competing on value.

On the third floor of the shared workshop, there's a district-level testing lab for footwear. Dai Mingchang, head of the footwear association of Luqiao district, explained that the local market supervision and management bureau and the association have set up a brand guidance service station. The station helps with trademark registration, establishes industry standards and sets strict requirements for insulation, environmental impact, durability and craftsmanship.

In Shangni village, 20 companies have earned brand certification, and 36 patents have been successfully filed. The pass rate for snow boots in random quality checks has jumped from 60 percent to over 95 percent. The percentage of footwear companies with registered trademarks has climbed from just 7 percent to now include 106 registered trademarks and two collective trademarks.

In 2023, Ye Siyu, who had returned from studying abroad, led a footwear factory to venture into cross-border e-commerce. Now, the factory runs nonstop, shipping over 500 pairs of snow boots daily.

The shared workshop has built four shared livestream studios and 80 factory livestream rooms, partnering with several cross-border e-commerce platforms. Currently, the businesses involved hold over 40 livestreaming sessions per week, and their online sales have grown by 20 percent each month.