Footwear (sandals)

• This profile covers the supply chain of sandals, specifically the production of sandals in Indonesia. To learn more about the supply chains of footwear in general, please see the footwear profile.
• The primary geography where child labor has been documented in footwear (sandals) specifically is Indonesia, and the sandal supply chain in Indonesia appears to be oriented towards the domestic market. It is possible that the sandals are sold under recognized local and national brands, including potentially as counterfeits. Given these conditions, companies in Indonesia buying and selling shoes should identify and engage directly with their suppliers, including informal and home-based suppliers past Tier 1, to support human rights and decent work conditions.
• While the risk for child labor in sandal production is limited to Indonesia, and output is primarily sold domestically, companies who work in and/or source from Indonesia could support due diligence efforts in their own textile and footwear supply chains to model industry standards for domestic suppliers. The prominence of informal and home-based work in all textile supply chains means that community-based work supporting worker advocacy may be beneficial to build knowledge and capacity to support labor rights.

• The U.S. Department of Labor notes the presence of child labor in the production of footwear (sandals) in Indonesia.¹List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor. U.S. Department of Labor, 28 September 2022, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods?tid=All&field_exp_good_target_id=5794&field_exp_exploitation_type_target_id_1=All&items_per_page=10.
• Another source cites the presence of child labor in the production of footwear (sandals) in Indonesia for the domestic market, where children, mostly boys, work long hours for little pay based on a piece-rate system. The source also notes that children work in hazardous conditions, including being exposed to dust, vapors, dangerous objects, insufficient ventilation, and chemicals, especially glue, all of which may negatively impact their health.²Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare. Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. pp. 18-23.
• Outside of the child labor specifically documented in the production of sandals in Indonesia, significant production of footwear for global markets occurs in Indonesia, Vietnam, and China.

• Sandal production for the domestic market in Indonesia is largely fulfilled by small or home-based workshops.³Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. “The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare.” Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. p. 17.

• Sandal production in Indonesia seems to be largely located in the Ciomas District in Bogor Regency. There is also a high prevalence of child labor in the Parakan Village, where many children work in over 302 small workshops.⁴Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. “The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare.” Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. pp. 15-16.
• Studies indicate that child labor in the production of footwear in Indonesia is highly concentrated in small and home-based workshops which supply the domestic market.⁵andraningsih, Indrasari. “Child Labor in Subcontracting Sectors of Indonesia’s Garment and Footwear Industries.” The World of Child Labor: An Historical and Regional Survey. Edited by Hugh Hindman, Routledge, 2009. p. 904.

Sandal-producing workshops in Indonesia are mainly located in the Ciomas District and are constituted by hundreds of small or home-based workshops. They employ between 5 and 15 workers. The larger workshops can produce approximately 2,000 pairs of shoes or sandals every week. The sandals are produced with rubber and leather, often using simple tools, such as knives, scissors, and sewing machines. The only modern technology used are grinders, which are used for smoothing the materials.

Sandal production is constituted by two types of processes. The bottom process includes the heating of the bottom material of the sandal and gluing it to create a complete sandal. The top process includes sewing the upper part of the sandal, installing fasteners, tracing basic patterns, and so forth. The rubber and/or leather sandals produced in this way are then sold in Bogor, Jakarta, and surrounding cities. This sandal supply chain in Indonesia is completely situated in and oriented towards the domestic market.⁶Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. “The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare.” Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. p. 17. 

• 1
  List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor. U.S. Department of Labor, 28 September 2022, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods?tid=All&field_exp_good_target_id=5794&field_exp_exploitation_type_target_id_1=All&items_per_page=10.
• 2
  Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare. Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. pp. 18-23.
• 3
  Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. “The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare.” Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. p. 17.
• 4
  Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. “The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare.” Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. pp. 15-16.
• 5
  andraningsih, Indrasari. “Child Labor in Subcontracting Sectors of Indonesia’s Garment and Footwear Industries.” The World of Child Labor: An Historical and Regional Survey. Edited by Hugh Hindman, Routledge, 2009. p. 904.
• 6
  Avianti, Annisa and Martua Sihaloho. “The Role of Child Labour in Small Industry of Sandals for Their Household Income and Children’s Welfare.” Journal of Rural Sociology, April 2013, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e316/4adf22778ff91d7fd9af84ee25ff3efba3e5.pdf?_ga=2.14026163.544850978.1660119319-1052293650.1660119319. p. 17. 
• 7
  List of exporters for the selected product. Product: 640299 Footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics (excluding covering the ankle or with upper straps or thongs assembled to the sole by means of plugs, waterproof footwear of heading 6401, sports footwear, orthopaedic footwear and toy footwear). ITC Trade Map, 2021, www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c640299%7c%7c%7c6%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1.