Wenzhou温州
Zhejiang
Wenzhou's footwear industry produced 87 billion yuan of output in 2023, and the city exported more than 560 million pairs of finished shoes in 2024, according to local official media. Nearby Yueqing, home to the Liushi electrical town, supplies more than 65% of China's low-voltage electrical products, according to China News Service (2024). The Ouhai district is one of the world's main eyewear bases, and Wenzhou also has well-known pen, lighter and valve clusters. Most producers are private firms used to export OEM work, from budget suppliers to certified brand makers.
Footwear and leatherLow-voltage electrical equipment (Liushi/Yueqing)Eyewear (Ouhai)Pens and lightersValves and pumps
Key figures
- 87 billion yuan (+4.8%); above-scale firms 48.14 billion yuan
- Footwear industry total output · 2023↗
- More than 560 million pairs, worth over 28 billion yuan
- Finished shoe exports (estimate) · 2024↗
- More than 65%
- Yueqing share of China's low-voltage electrical market · 2024↗
- 700+ eyewear firms (96 above-scale makers); chain output about 17.5 billion yuan
- Eyewear industry · 2020↗
Buyer tips
- For shoes, check REACH (chromium VI in leather, azo dyes, phthalates in PVC) for the EU and Prop 65 for California; Wenzhou is strongest in leather and men's casual/formal shoes, so match the factory to the construction you need.
- Low-voltage electrical parts from Liushi range from global-brand OEM lines to uncertified copies; insist on CE/IEC test reports for breakers, sockets and switches, or UL listing for the US, and verify the certificate holder matches the factory.
- Eyewear makers in Ouhai handle metal, acetate and TR90 frames; sunglasses need EN ISO 12312-1 for the EU and FDA impact-resistance (drop ball) compliance for the US, while prescription frames may count as medical devices in some markets.
- Shoe MOQs are often set per style and colour across a size run (commonly several hundred to 1,000+ pairs); budget for last and sole moulds if you change the outsole.
Wholesale markets
- China (Ouhai) International Eyewear City (中国(瓯海)国际眼镜城)
Trade fairs
- China (Wenzhou) International Optics Fair (温州国际眼镜展)
- China Shoe Capital Footwear Trade Fair (中国鞋都鞋类交易会)
Typical ocean transit
| From | North Europe | US West Coast | US East Coast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ningbo | 39–4731–35 via Suez | 12–18 | 30–36 |
Port-to-port, in days. Door-to-door adds inland haulage, customs and final delivery. Most Asia–North Europe services still sail around the Cape of Good Hope; the range assumes that routing. Some services are returning to Suez from September 2026, which shortens the trip to about the “via Suez” figure.
Related guides
- China Manufacturing Hubs: Which City Makes What (Cluster Map)
- Factory vs Trading Company in China: How to Tell and Which to Use
- Custom Packaging from China: Options, Printing, MOQs and Labels
- How to Negotiate MOQ with Chinese Suppliers
- CE, UKCA, FCC and CPC: Product Certifications for Imports from China
- How to Calculate Landed Cost When Importing from China
Other clusters in Zhejiang
- Yiwu — Small commodities and general merchandise
- Yongkang — Vacuum flasks and thermos cups
- Cixi — Small home appliances
- Ningbo — Stationery and office supplies
- Taizhou — Plastic moulds and injection-moulded products (Huangyan)
- Shaoxing Keqiao — Woven and knitted fabrics
- Haining — Leather and fur garments
- Zhuji Datang — Socks and hosiery
- Zhuji Shanxiahu — Freshwater pearls (loose and strands)
- Anji — Office chairs