Footwear tech courses in China by Nicoline van Enter

footwear tech courses in china 2016

content welcome to slem china | 03 program 1 | 04 footwear production intensives - beginner level | 04

program 2 | 06

innovative footwear technology intensive advanced level | 08

“Manufacturing is more than just putting parts together. It’s coming up with ideas, testing principles and perfecting the engineering, as well as final assembly.” - James Dyson - -

welcome to slem china SLEM (Shoes Leather Education Museum) is an international innovation and education centre for footwear that includes a consulting department, a footwear museum and an education institute that offers fulltime master programs as well as part time workshops for professionals. SLEM’s aim is to improve the world through shoes. Even though there is a growing human population with an exponential need for footwear this is limited by current material resources, production and distribution processes. This causes an urgent need for meaningful change. How shoes are produced is a vital part of this equation and that is why our programs have focused on offering solutions for manufacturing from the very beginning. Since there is relatively little footwear production left in the western world, SLEM’s Master of Footwear Innovation students go to China’s Guangdong province to experience all aspects of modern shoe production. Here they have a combination of theory classes and many company visits that cover all aspects of modern footwear manufacturing, including tooling and materials. We are proud to announce that we now offer the same option for external companies and students in this new short course program for China! Some might still think that China only offers cheap production with inferior materials, but that has changed a lot in the past decade. Low-price production has moved away to other countries, such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and China’s Pearl River Delta now houses a great variety of footwear industry, including luxury brands, for all kinds of consumer segments. With China’s rapidly growing domestic market it is even more important to stay informed of the developments in the Chinese footwear industry, even for those who produce elsewhere. In this brochure you find two kinds of short courses: one beginner level course for those who need more general footwear knowledge and one for those who are looking to get better aquainted with the very latest cutting-edge techology for (sports) footwear.

program 1 - footwear production intensives The beginner level program is based on the two weeks of the Master program during which our students study footwear materials and construction. The first week takes place in Guangzhou and focuses on footwear materials for both uppers and outsoles. Through classes and visits to tanneries, textile mills and outsole (mold) factories you will learn about all kinds of leather, synthetics and textiles, how they are made , what they cost, how you can recognize the difference, which material is used for what etc. The same goes for outsole materials, such as EVA, TPU, TPR etc. SLEM’s own classroom in China is right at Guangzhou’s material market, so your theoretical knowledge will be tested directly. The second week takes place in Dongguan (Houjie) where most footwear factories are. This area has developed greatly over the past years and now houses all kinds of production, including luxury level, for all segments. In this week you will learn about and experience manufacturing for all kinds of footwear segments and of all constructions, from men’s and women’s fashion shoes to sports performance and from cemented constructions to goodyear welted, injection molded and vulcanized. We strongly recommend to take both weeks, but it is possible to follow just the first or second week, depending on time, interest and prior experience. You can apply by sending an email to office@slem.nl.

who is this course for? The one or two-week Footwear Production Intensives are ideal for anyone who needs to have a good understanding of how shoes are produced in a factory, but does not have a lot of experience in footwear production yet or has never even visited a factory. This includes junior level designers, developers, product managers, quality control managers, merchandisers, buyers and even those involved in marketing/PR or customer service who need to be able to answer product-related questions from the audience.

“Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing... layout, processes, and procedures.” - Tom Peters -

“The designer must understand that form does not follow function nor does form follow a production process. For every use and for every production process there are innumerable equally attractive solutions.” - Eva Zeisel -

requirements We require that participants speak good enough English to be able to follow the classes, with a minimum of IELTS level 5-6. Prior knowledge of footwear is not required; classes are small enough to accommodate different levels of experience.

dates & locations August 15-20: Footwear Materials Intensive in Guangzhou August 22-27: Footwear Construction Intensive in Dongguan (Houjie) November 14-19: Footwear Materials Intensive in Guangzhou November 21-26: Footwear Construction Intensive in Dongguan (Houjie) Classes take place at various locations. Usually we have a theory class in the morning and factory visits in the afternoon. Theory classes can take place at our classroom at Guangzhou material market or in the conference rooms of the factories we visit. We will leave from one central meeting point in the morning and arrive back there at the end the day. Generally classes are from 09:00 to 17:00, but depending on the location hours can vary from 08:00 to 21:00. In China companies are also open on Saturday, so please take into account that each week has 6 class days instead of 5.

costs Costs are €1250 per week or €2000 for both weeks (VAT does not apply). This includes transportation between all locations and the central meeting points, entrance to all classes and company visits and a course syllabus. Transportation between Guangzhou and Dongguan takes place on Saturday and is also included. The price does NOT include: transportation to China and to the central meeting points, visa, footwear supplies that you want to buy, meals and hotel accommodation (see suggestions on page 11). Payment should be made in advance to secure your place in the course.

2. innovative footwear technology

“If you think back to the beginning of cell phones, laptops or really any new technology, it’s always expensive.” - Elon Musk -

7 2

program 2 - innovative footwear technology intensive The way shoes are made has not really changed all that much in the past centuries, yet the current need for faster and cheaper mass production in combination with the need for better performance in sports footwear is sparking some fast and drastic innovation now. New technologies like 3D printing, high frequency welding, knitting and complex outsole molding with multi materials are requiring different skills and insights from anyone who is involved in footwear. These technologies start in sports performance footwear, but quickly make their way into all other segments as well. However, they often require different factories and suppliers than brands currently work with, so this new knowledge is not easy to obtain. That is why we are now offering this one-week advanced course that is a great opportunity for acquiring new knowledge and for sourcing, if needed. The format is the same as the other courses, combining theory classes and company visits. Each day will center around a different technology, from knitting and non-wovens, to high frequency welding, new kinds of outsole molding, robotic production, functional 3D printing and wearable technology. Classes and visits generally take place in Dongguan (Houjie), except for the last classes on Friday/Saturday which will be in Shenzhen, close to the Hong Kong border. You can apply for this course by sending an email to office@slem.nl.

who is this course for? This course is especially meant for experienced footwear professionals that are directly involved in product development and are looking to be better informed about the latest technical developments: from anyone involved in R&D, to designers, developers, product managers, sourcing managers and quality control managers to merchandisers and buyers.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many people mistakenly think a new technology cancels out an old one.â&#x20AC;? - Judith Martin -

“The extreme sophistication of modern technology is, ironically, an impediment to engaging young people with basics: with learning how things work.” - Martin Rees -

requirements We require that participants speak good enough English to be able to follow the classes, with a minimum of IELTS level 6. Prior knowledge of footwear is recommended here, since we do suppose that participants already have a basic understanding of traditional footwear construction. Classes are small enough to accommodate different levels of experience though. For participants without any prior footwear knowledge we recommend that they follow the Footwear Production Intensives first.

dates & locations The course takes place from November 28 - December 3 in Dongguan (Houjie) and Shenzhen. Classes take place at various locations. Usually we have a theory class in the morning and factory visits in the afternoon. Theory classes usually take place in the conference rooms of the factories we visit. We will leave from one central meeting point in the morning and arrive back there at the end the day. Generally classes are from 09:00 to 17:00, but depending on the location hours can vary from 08:00 to 21:00. In China companies are also open on Saturday, so please take into account that this week has 6 class days instead of 5.

costs Costs for this highly specialized course are €2000 (VAT does not apply). This includes transportation between all locations and the central meeting points, entrance to all classes and company visits and a course syllabus. Transportation between Dongguan and Shenzhen takes place on Friday and is also included. The price does NOT include: transportation to China and to the central meeting points, visa, footwear supplies that you want to buy, meals and hotel accommodation (see suggestions on page 11). Payment should be made in advance to secure your place in the course.

david hsieh - General Director Slem China -

application & certificate Application for the China courses is handled by SLEMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters in Waalwijk, the Netherlands. If you want to apply, please send an email to office@slem.nl. We will then contact you to plan a phone call or skype meeting to discuss your needs and any questions you might have about the course. Your spot in the course will be guaranteed upon payment. Participants will receive a certificate up completion of a course.

lecturers Classes are taught by David Hsieh, general director of SLEM China. He is originally from Taiwan and followed his first footwear training in Taichung, before he continued to get his Bachelor degree in footwear design from London College of Fashion (Cordwainers). He went on to work for Adidas, Benetton and Clarks, among others, before he decided to move to Dongguan to set up his own design studio for the growing Chinese market. Currently he manages all courses for SLEM in China. David will teach the classes in collaboration with various experts from the companies we are visiting. He and his team are also available to help participants with any issues they might have in finding their way in China.

custom training & matchmaking We can also offer the footwear technology courses tailor made for your company, if you have a group of at least 5 participants. In this case we can create a program that is tailored to your needs and on dates that are most convenient for you. We can also offer this in Vietnam or Taiwan. Should you have specific needs for sourcing, then we also offer matchmaking services. Based upon what you need our SLEM China team can introduce you to the right suppliers. Prices for custom made training and matchmaking are on request. Please email us at office@slem.nl for info.

how to get there We suggest you fly into Guangzhou or Hong Kong and take public transportation from there. For those of you who need to go to Dongguan we recommend to take the ferry to Humen and then a taxi to Houjie, which is only 20 minutes from there. If you let us know your travel schedule at office@slem.nl we can give you the best advice on how to get to the course location.

accommodation Accommodation is not included in the costs for the courses. We require that you book your own hotel, yet we do have the following recommendations that are near to the central meeting points:

Guangzhou: Stay Apartments (low budget) Garden Hotel (medium to high budget)

Dongguan (Houjie): Spring Hotel (low budget, can only be booked from China, please ask us) Q Hotel (medium budget) Haiyatt Garden Hotel (medium to high budget) Sheraton Hotel (high budget) Meeting points for Shenzhen can vary, we will infom participants ahead of time about options for accommodation.

visa information You will need a visa for China and this is not included in the course price. Rules vary per country, but you usually have to apply for the visa from your country of origin. If it is your first visit to China we recommend you apply for a tourist visa. If you prefer a business visa we can supply you with an invitation letter.

the next footwear tech courses in china will start in august 2016. see you then! SLEM Waalwijk Raadhuisplein 1-2 5141 KG Waalwijk The Netherlands office@slem.nl phone +31 416 757630 www.slem.nl facebook.com/slemwaalwijk instagram.com/slemwaalwijk twitter.com/slemwaalwijk linkedin.com/company/slemwaalwijk