Taiwan’s shoe manufacturing industry has a long and illustrious history. In the 1970s, Taiwan was the world’s third-largest exporter of shoes. However, as times have changed, the industry now faces a number of challenges. In addition to the rising costs of labor and raw materials, the industry must also grapple with the changing environmental landscape. Taiwan’s shoe manufacturers find themselves at a critical juncture, needing to enhance their innovative capabilities and optimize their industrial structure to meet the fierce competition of the global market.

New Challenges for the Shoe Industry: Implementing ESG

In recent years, there has been growing global concern over climate change and sustainability issues. The chairman of the Taiwan Shoe Manufacturers Association has pointed out that ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a major challenge facing the shoe industry, particularly the “E” or environmental protection aspect. This is an issue that every industry must address, as failure to do so may result in difficulties in securing orders or even higher costs.

While the shoe industry is not considered a highly polluting sector, it still needs to adapt to these changes. Enterprises must begin to implement ESG, cultivate relevant talent, and promote energy-saving and carbon reduction initiatives to contribute to global sustainability.

Technological Innovation, Quality Improvement, and ESG Implementation: The Glory of Taiwan
Taitra Plasma Co., Ltd., a Taiwanese company, has been featured on the National Geographic channel and has won multiple awards in shoe design competitions, demonstrating the industry’s technological advancements and quality improvements.

Challenges Facing the Shoe Industry in Environmental Protection

Regulatory Pressure
As environmental regulations become increasingly stringent, shoe manufacturers must invest heavily to meet emission standards and reduce pollution, which increases their cost burden.

Raw Material Selection and Product Recycling
Traditional materials like leather and synthetic chemicals have a significant environmental impact, but more eco-friendly natural materials often fail to meet cost and quality requirements. Additionally, most shoes are difficult to recycle after use, generating a large amount of waste. Therefore, the recyclability and reusability of materials are crucial.

Production Process Transformation
Processes like washing and dyeing consume large amounts of water and energy, requiring significant equipment and process upgrades to improve energy efficiency.

Consumer Awareness
While consumer environmental awareness is increasing, the acceptance and willingness to pay for eco-friendly shoe products still need further improvement.

To address these challenges, shoe manufacturers must:

  • Continue investing in technological innovation to develop more environmentally friendly materials and processes
  • Optimize supply chain management and promote upstream-downstream collaboration
  • Strengthen product recycling and reuse
  • Foster consumer adoption of eco-friendly consumption habits

AP Plasma

When the shoe industry faces environmental issues, there are more solutions available, such as the introduction of intelligent manufacturing to reduce labor costs while achieving environmental benefits in the production process.

Dr. Chia-Chiang Chang, a Taiwanese researcher, has long been exploring more eco-friendly shoe manufacturing methods, leading to the development of atmospheric plasma technology. This technology uses atmospheric plasma to modify the surface of shoe soles without damaging the materials, improving the bonding strength between the sole and the upper, and enabling rapid, automated, and intelligent production.

One of the advantages of atmospheric plasma technology is its environmental benefits in the shoe sole bonding process. This technology not only reduces the use of chemical adhesives, thereby lowering the negative impact on the environment, but also enhances the bonding strength of the shoe soles, improving the overall product quality. Shoe manufacturers can leverage this atmospheric plasma technology to realize a green economy future, enhancing the competitiveness of their products while addressing the challenges facing the shoe industry.