Zhuji City of east China's Zhejiang Province, dubbed as "the sock capital," has been making up bigger presence in the global sock industry through high-quality production and independent designs.
As the world's largest sock manufacturing base, the Datang sub-district of Zhuji produces approximately 25 billion pairs of socks yearly, accounting for more than 70 percent of the output of China and one-third of the whole world. A significant volume of these socks is exported to markets in Japan, South Korea and North America.
About 70 percent of the local population is working in the sock production sector, including long-time residents and new entrepreneurs who have established factories in the region.
"I'm a new local in Zhuji. I moved here because I saw huge potential in the local sock industry and decided to start my own factory. With the complete supply chain and established customer base, setting up was smooth," said Deng Shuangquan, head of a local textile company.
"The relaxed atmosphere is great, and when I miss the hustle of big cities, Hangzhou (the provincial capital) is just an hour away," Deng added.
Deng's factory now ships around one million pairs of socks daily, with one single sock style selling 120 million pairs in just six months. Its monthly sales have now reached 200 million yuan (about 27.63 million U.S. dollars).
Local manufacturers and the younger generation of factory owners have recognized the importance of innovation, which has helped foster the growth of local design companies.
"In the past, most sock companies focused mainly on practicality. But today, consumers around the world want more style and design. That's why we've started creating a range of fashionable and trendy sock designs," said Deng Changdu, an independent designer.
Socks from east China city explores global market
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
