In recent years, leather has become increasingly popular, and there's a proliferation of workshops offering instruction in crafting wallets, cases, and bags. Hong Kong's Shui Hing Leather Factory, with over 40 years of history, is now run by the third generation, Kean, and is the last remaining leather workshop in the city. He admits that the process is no easy feat.
Kean is the successor of the Shui Hing Leather Factory, the only remaining leather factory in Hong Kong. The business was started by his father-in-law's generation, and now it has been handed down to him. He has to carry on the family business for nearly 40 years. Coupled with the deteriorating economic situation in recent years, Kean also lamented that it has not been easy at all.
As his father's generation grew older, the family business needed to be taken over by the next generation. However, he never forced Kean and his two brothers to carry on his father's business. If no one took over, the leather factory would have to close down. Kean was reluctant to see the factory, which had been run by his family for many years, close down, and he was even more unwilling to see the hard work of the previous two generations come to an end. So he gradually took over the family business and found a way to keep the leather factory running.
Kean was committed to preserving Hong Kong's sole leather factory. However, due to the relatively high operating costs of Shui Hing Leather Factory, he needed to develop other side businesses to support his core business. He then took the initiative and founded his own brand, "The Lederer," focusing on small-scale wholesale, workshops, and leather bags. This marked a shift from manufacturing to the now-popular fast-food market. His youth and limited experience led to setbacks along the way. "The Lederer" was initially a joint venture between Kean and a group of partners. His parents were skeptical of the venture, but Kean persisted. As his parents had predicted, he and his partners disagreed, and he ultimately had to learn from his failures and start over.
From initial setbacks, they eventually flourished, even selling nearly a thousand material packs a month at their peak, finally becoming independent. This business model also made leather factories accessible to the general public. When leather becomes more accessible, it deepens public awareness and, in turn, revitalizes the leather industry. As the third-in-command, Kean quietly protects not only the family business but also Hong Kong's last leather factory, supporting the declining leather industry, fully embodying the Hong Kong people's spirit of never giving up.
Article Source: Holiday.presslogic