Shoe industry in Fujian treads a new path

East China's shoe industry has entered a new era. Technology has taken center stage, and buyers are no longer looking for something to just cover their feet.

3D-printing is one such technology. At the 20th Jinjiang Footwear & Sports Industry International Exposition that opened recently in Jinjiang, a small city in Fujian province, several exhibitors were proudly showing off their 3D printers and 3D scanners.

"The shoe industry in Jinjiang succeeded in the past because local enterprises entered the market fast and produced in large quantities," said Luo Xiangdong, a professor at the Shoe and Clothing Technology Research Center of Shaanxi Technological University.