Zhangzhou Leather Handcraftsmen Are Losing Their Handcraft Skills.

In a small shop at 214 Beijing Road, Xiangcheng, the 47 year old handmade leather shoe maker Zhang Bixing took over a pair of outdated ladies' leather shoes, sawing heels, shoemaker, polishing and painting glue.

In a moment, the brand-name shoes that had been thrown away were once again shining with splendor.

Yesterday, the reporter walked into a shop decorated by Zhang Bi Xing, and saw one in the shop.

There are some plastic shoes and slippers on the plank, and some self made ones on the shelves.

On the wall, there are small items such as insoles, belts and so on, with a small shelf selling cigarettes and drinks.

What is striking is that the door post is written on the side of shoes and shoes.

Leather shoes have a long history. Tomorrow, five years (1625), there is a shoe store in Southern China, which is the earliest shoe store in Zhangzhou.

Then, there are more than 10 leather shoes stores with different sizes in Zhangzhou City, China, South America, South China, Xi Shi and so on.

Especially in the early 80s of last century, the leather shoes factory of Zhangzhou was established. There were more than 1000 employees in the prosperous period. When the products were exported to other countries and their business was very good, they could not finish the goods and set up processing points elsewhere.

"Originally, there were five people in our family working in the leather shoes factory in Zhangzhou, especially the father Zhang Yan, who made leather shoes for more than 40 years. He is a well-known shoe maker."

Zhang Bixing introduced the origin of Zhangjia shoemaking.

After graduating from junior high school in 1982, he went to Zhangzhou leather shoes factory.

Thanks to family tradition, coupled with conscientious work, Zhang Bi Xing also made good leather shoes, which he could afford, and were sent to various processing points to do technical guidance in the factory.

In 2003, because of the restructuring of enterprises, Zhang Bi Xing and his family were laid off.

Because Zhang Bi Xing has many years of experience in making leather shoes, a private shoe factory asks him to do technical guidance and style design.

5 years later, the private shoe factory went bankrupt and Zhang Bixing lost his job again.

"After I lost my job again, in order to support my family, I opened a shoemaker shop after the Spring Festival in 2008, selling shoes and shoes."

Recall that at that time, Zhang Bi Xing had some helplessness.

With his skilful technology and good quality shoes, his shop is also well known.

Even some units have to send shoes and order at his shop.

In particular, the women's bag shoes made by him have always been popular among middle-aged and elderly customers.

In addition, when customers come to wipe shoes, if they have minor faults, they will repair them one by one, and these customers will become regular customers.

For such a business, for him at that time, there was still a slight surplus in the management of family food and clothing, but the development of leather shoes in social development was gradually increasing, and he could only do several kinds, and the customers chose less space, and the location of the store was more remote and the flow of people was less.

"Business has not been improving, shoes are few and raw materials are not allowed to enter, and a small amount of purchase will inevitably cost more money."

Nowadays, due to too few raw materials, manufacturers are even lazy, so Zhang Bi Xing is even more difficult to purchase.

Zhang Bixing told reporters that in terms of a shoe sole, there are usually six or seven numbers and 2 colors, and at least 10 pairs of a number. Such a style will have to enter more than 100 pairs of soles, and several styles will have hundreds of pairs, requiring more capital.

And if there is no unit to order, it will be a heavy burden to small shops with little funds, so it is now in a dilemma.

With the rapid development of social economy, professional shoe making machines cater to the trend and attract more consumer groups.

There were only a few former shoe makers who were struggling to support them.

Although he is still making shoes and polishing shoes, Zhang Bixing admits that the grim reality makes him feel a little incompetent and is considering whether to stick to it.

"I have been doing this business for 30 years, and I can't bear to say it in my mind."

Zhang Bixing sighed.