Fashion houses such as Ferragamo and Gucci are headquartered here, and traditional industries such as shoemaking, glass making and jewellery are going strong.

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The basic unit of shoemaking is the last a sort of mannequin, in the shape of a human foot, upon which the shoe is constructed.

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But the firm wants to hire a quarter of its 80-strong workforce in Gubin, which has a tradition of shoemaking and plenty of cheap, skilled labour.

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Unless, that is, you consider sports shoemaking, where China alone has four entries and another (see "Putting on a Few Pounds") that just outgrew the list.

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The privately held firm, still based in Bredebro, says it is the only major shoe manufacturer in the world that owns and manages every step of the shoemaking process.

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