Hong Kong was once a small fishing village but has transformed into the unparalleled "Pearl of the Orient." This tiny piece of land developed a wide range of industries, providing livelihoods for millions of families. Today, only a few factories remain in Hong Kong, but there are still third-generation successors who choose to carry on their family businesses and even aim to expand them.
At one time, there were more than a dozen leather factories in Hong Kong, and Sui Hing Leather Factory is one of them. This modest and relatively unknown factory did not follow the trend of relocating to mainland China during the industrial migration of the 1980s and 1990s. Instead, it chose to remain in Hong Kong and has quietly become the city’s last remaining leather factory. It is now in the hands of its third-generation successor, 90s-born Kean Bai.
Sui Hing is the last remaining leather factory in Hong Kong.
On the day of the interview, as I arrived at the entrance of Sui Hing's factory in Kwai Chung, a mix of ink and beef aromas filled the air. Stepping further inside, the scent grew a hundred times stronger, as if countless grilled salted steaks were laid out before me. Depending on your mindset, it could be oddly enjoyable—or downright nauseating. Upon inquiry, I learned that the factory collects freshly slaughtered cowhides daily from slaughterhouses. These hides are immediately salted upon arrival—a process known as "salting"—to prevent them from spoiling. The distinctive smell originates from this process. When asked if Kean ever finds the smell unpleasant, he laughed and said, "I’ve been playing here since I was a kid, so I don’t find it anything special anymore."
Kean recalled that his grandfather and great-uncle had been in the leather business for 40 to 50 years, operating under the name "Sui Wah." It wasn't until his parents took over in 1985 that the name was changed to "Sui Hing." Therefore, although Sui Hing Leather Factory is said to have a 35-year history, its actual legacy goes far beyond that.
The salted cowhides still contain traces of blood and small amounts of cow fat.
What drives a 90s-born individual to take over the family business? Kean candidly admitted that the main reason was to spare his parents from hardship and to ensure that their lifelong efforts wouldn't go to waste. He also acknowledged a slightly self-serving reason: "There are two ways to look at it. On the positive side, it's about carrying on a legacy. On the less flattering side, coming back to a family business already in operation makes things much easier for you."
Kean originally studied business management in the UK. After graduation, his father asked if he was interested in taking over the family business. Kean then enrolled in a leather-making course and interned at factories in mainland China before returning to take the reins of the family enterprise. As it turns out, producing a piece of leather requires at least two to three weeks of processing. The steps include salting the hide, dehairing and soaking it, splitting it into "top grain" and "split leather" layers using machines, acid soaking, dyeing, water pressing, air drying, and finally color spraying.
The machine in front of Kean has been in use since the factory was founded.
He likens the processing process to a washing machine, constantly stirring and churning. However, factors such as the breed of cattle, the size and color of the hide, and even the weather can affect the quality of the finished product. "Some people are picky when they buy it, quizzing on this or that piece of hide, but in reality, making a good or suitable hide is not that easy."
Growing up in a leather factory, Kean has witnessed the transformation of Hong Kong's leather industry. Recalling his factory's heyday, he produced 100,000 square feet of leather per month, enough to fit in three shipping containers. However, with the decline of the local manufacturing industry, output has gradually decreased. Currently, production is less than one-tenth of its peak, barely enough to keep the business afloat. "Back then, if you opened a factory, people would come to you. But now, you have to find the business. It's a completely different story. Times have changed dramatically," Kean said.
Kean described the new brand as being forced out.
Seeking new opportunities amidst the changing times, Kean took over the family business and founded The Lederer in 2015. The brand transitioned from a traditional B2B wholesale business to a B2C one, offering everything from production to retail. The brand also offers OEM (original equipment manufacturing), custom leather goods, and DIY material kits, while occasionally hosting workshops.
Kean believes that simply being the last leather factory in Hong Kong would make it difficult to compete in the market. This is because, purely in terms of leather, prices are not as low as those in India, Bangladesh, and the quality is not comparable to that of Europe and the United States. Furthermore, most people wouldn't buy a piece of leather without a reason, so the brand chose to use the 100% Made in Hong Kong feature as its selling point.
From leather materials and production to retail and maintenance, we operate in a one-stop mode.
Five years later, when asked if he'd achieved his goals, Kean simply responded, "Not as good as the best, but better than the worst." While the business has been growing, it's still one-third away from his goal. "I had a goal: to reach that point by 30, or maybe even 35. Looking back, it's normal that I didn't achieve it. I was very young when I first had these ideas, and I had a 'dreamy dream' mentality." However, Kean remains undeterred. He plans to expand his brand beyond Hong Kong, eyeing Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US. He plans to open a retail location in the UK this year.
Article Source:Orangenews