Crisis among shoemakers in El Restrepo
The El Restrepo neighborhood in Bogotá is home to small and medium-sized manufacturers, 60% of whom focus on leather footwear production, 19% on leather goods, and 4% on supplies manufacturing.
Currently, this sector is in a difficult context, as confirmed by Juan Manuel Díaz, a council member from Nuevo Liberalismo. Entrepreneurs are struggling with rising raw material costs, an 80% to 90% decline in sales, and the lack of human resources that are committed to the profession.
In addition to the sharp drop in sales, the sector has experienced factory closures and workforce reductions, according to the Bogotá Council in late August.