Local authorities in Neikeng town of Jinjiang, Fujian province, promote the sale of slippers through e-commerce platforms. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

One in every eight people worldwide may be wearing slippers made in Neikeng town of Jinjiang, East China's Fujian province, as the town produces over 1 billion pairs of slippers annually, local authorities said.

The town's slippers industry emerged in the early days of China's reform and opening-up policies over 40 years ago. Starting from small family workshops, it has evolved into a world-leading industrial cluster. Today, it boasts a comprehensive ecosystem that covers research and development, production, supporting industries, and trade.

Neikeng is home to more than 620 slippers manufacturers, including 81 above-scale enterprises and 28 companies with annual output values exceeding 100 million yuan ($14.2 million). The total annual output value of the region's slippers industry chain surpasses 30 billion yuan, according to local authorities.