Asian footprint

That allows YY to dedicate separate facilities to each part of each shoe for each brand.,ghd

Built on a former lychee plantation, it has its own reservoir, power plant, telephone exchange, distilled water plant, fire station, dormitories, post office and shops.

And it boasts Asia's biggest tannery. Prime Asia consumes 8,000 cow hides a day, taking about six minutes to apply dye and finishes,sunglasses, jobs that once took hours of soaking in vats.

By contrast, Nike has only 22,000 directly employed staff, hardly any of whom make shoes; Adidas has 15,000 and one shoe factory in Germany.

Sports brands have branched out into clothing and equipment but shoes remain their top selling goods, making Asian contract workers vital to their profits.

The firm says it abides by the minimum wage of 450 yuan ($54.3; £32) a month, pays overtime at time and a half and does not force it on workers.


 

Inspiration or perspiration?

So is the success of trainers the result of technology, design, or advertising?

The latest style trends promote simpler, leaner looks, rather like "a scuba shoe or sock...streamlined, very thin" with wrap-round elastic rather than laces.

Ms Deane sees new technology in fabrics driving sales almost indefinitely.

Technological innovations start with sport but reshape fashion fast. "The fashion customers wants to wear what's new," says Ms Deane.

Wave Spring has shock reducing springs, Merrell uses computer chips to vary the cushioning of joints, while Nike's anti-shock technology sales are "terrific", she says.

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