TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JUAN CARLO DE VELA
FOR decades, Carcar City has been known as Cebu’s shoemaking capital, with rows of workshops producing handcrafted leather footwear that once supplied markets across the country. But an industry that once thrived on skilled craftsmanship is now fighting for survival as declining sales, rising production costs, and changing consumer habits threaten a tradition that has long defined the city’s identity.
Local shoemakers say the industry’s peak years were from 1995 to 2005, when demand for handcrafted shoes was at its highest and workshops operated at full capacity. But sales began to slow in the mid-2000s and fell even further during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many industries have since recovered, Carcar’s shoemaking sector continues to struggle to regain its pre-pandemic momentum.
Shoemakers attribute the decline to several factors. The influx of inexpensive imported footwear, particularly from China, has intensified price competition, while the growing popularity of online shopping has given consumers easier access to cheaper alternatives. At the same time, the rising cost of leather, adhesives, rubber soles, transportation, and labor has steadily increased production expenses, leaving local shoemakers with shrinking profit margins.
The effects are evident in workshops across the city. Production has slowed significantly, with some factories now producing only a fraction of what they once did. One of Carcar’s largest remaining shoemaking workshops, operated by the Lauron family since 1987, now turns out only about 12 pairs of shoes every two days, a stark contrast to the industry’s peak decades ago.
Despite the challenges, shoemakers continue to rely on traditional craftsmanship, with each pair carefully cut, stitched, and assembled by hand. As more workshops struggle to stay open, many hope that greater appreciation for locally made products will help preserve one of Cebu’s most enduring industries for future generations.