Shiling leather makers go online to stitch a sustained success story

At a time when many Chinese manufacturers continue to struggle with export orders, leather producers in Shiling township, in the Huadu district of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, are reporting a strong demand for their products overseas.

Leather production in Shiling - often dubbed China's leather capital - is expected to grow 13 percent this year compared to that of last year, and be worth more than $1 billion, according to local authorities.

"Exports in the first three quarters almost equaled that of the whole of last year, since we introduced our own brand - Sotto - a few years ago, which is especially designed to appeal to overseas buyers," said Ouyang Xiaojun, assistant general manager of Guangzhou Powerland Bags & Leather Co.