On January 15th, our country issued the document “Opinions on Developing the Silver Economy to Enhance the Well-being of the Elderly,” which outlined 26 measures across 4 key areas to expedite the scale, standardization, and branding of the silver economy. Zuliz Elderly Shoes, a pioneering enterprise in the sector, has diligently cultivated the silver economy over the past decade, yielding numerous achievements in the elderly footwear industry.
Redefining a new product category and embarking on the path of scaled development.
In 2015, Zuliz founder Zhang Jingkang insightfully observed that as people age, their foot shapes change. A pair of well-fitting and comfortable shoes becomes a necessity for the elderly. However, most shoes on the market are made based on adult shoe lasts without considering the physiological changes in the elderly. After identifying the needs and pain points of elderly shoe wearers, Zuliz took the lead by establishing a “User Research Center.” They collected foot shape data by visiting parks, communities, and shopping malls where the elderly gather. This effort led to the development of specialized shoe lasts tailored for elderly foot shapes, thus giving birth to professional elderly shoes.
After defining the subcategories of elderly shoes, Zuliz began to scale towards industrial development. They established categories such as walking series, fitness series, travel series, and clothing products to enrich their elderly shoe offerings, receiving wide consumer acclaim in the market. For three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, Zuliz Elderly Shoes proudly achieved the recognition of being the top-selling elderly shoe brand in the country.
As the industry scales up and improves, the industrial economy progresses in tandem. It is reported that the current size of the silver economy is approximately around 7 trillion RMB, accounting for about 6% of the GDP. By 2035, the silver economy is projected to reach around 30 trillion RMB, making up about 10% of the GDP.
Accelerating the construction of standardization system to facilitate the high-quality development of the industry.
The “26 Measures for the Silver Economy” proposes to “launch high-standard guiding actions. Conduct standardization pilot projects in the fields of elderly care services, culture and tourism, elderly products, age-friendly renovations, and intelligent technology applications. Prioritize products with independent research and development, technological leadership, and market recognition for inclusion in the upgraded and innovative consumer goods guide. Make good use of quality control and technical evaluation laboratories in various fields, establish high-level, specialized third-party quality testing platforms, and carry out quality evaluation, verification, and certification work.”
In the elderly shoe industry, there is a need for persistent and systematic construction of standards. This is not only a pursuit of high-quality products but also a responsibility to consumers. For a long time, the industry has lacked a widely applicable, universally accepted “elderly shoe” standard. Most “elderly shoes” on the market mainly adhere to the GB/T 15107-2013 “Travel Shoes” and QB/T 2955-2017 “Casual Shoes” standards. Borrowing standards from other categories like this cannot truly meet the needs of the elderly for footwear and product quality testing.
In August 2021, the National Standards Committee issued a notification for the establishment of the national standard for “Elderly Shoes.” Zuliz, as a leading enterprise, was invited to participate in the drafting of the standard and was entrusted with the role of the first drafting unit. Leveraging its own quality system construction and database of elderly foot shapes, the company actively engaged in various aspects of standard development, providing valuable feasibility references for drafting the standard.
It is reported that the release of the national standard for “Elderly Shoes” holds significant importance in driving the standardization, regulation, and quality development of the entire elderly shoe industry, marking a crucial milestone in the industry’s progress.
In its nearly decade-long establishment, the Zuliz brand has led and participated in the drafting of 24 standards, including 1 national standard, 2 age-friendly industry standards in the light industry sector, 12 elderly shoe industry group standards, and 9 enterprise standards.
Advancing brand development and nurturing leading companies in the silver economy sector, as outlined in the document, supports the development of chain and group enterprises. By leveraging events such as China Brand Day, National Quality Month, and National Intellectual Property Rights Promotion Week, active promotion of independent brand public welfare in the silver economy is encouraged.
In the elderly consumer goods industry, there are many companies, but only a few become widely recognized brands, with Zuliz Elderly Shoes being one of the notable brands. According to the 2023 World Brand Lab’s list of China’s 500 Most Valuable Brands, Zuliz Elderly Shoes, with a brand value of 10.259 billion yuan, has successfully made it to the list of China’s Top 500 Brands for two consecutive years. It is the only brand in the elderly industry among the listed companies.
Undoubtedly, Zuliz holds a leading position in the elderly shoe industry, where product innovation requires the power of technology, and the company’s growth and expansion require the catalyst of brand strength. Zuliz has been dedicated to integrating the latest technological achievements into its products to meet the needs of the elderly and enhance their wearing experience. Through continuous technological breakthroughs and product innovation, Zuliz has not only achieved remarkable success in the elderly shoe market but has also set a benchmark for the entire industry.
The introduction of the “26 Measures for the Silver Economy” signifies that the development of the silver economy is crucial for the overall national development and the well-being of the people, marking a top-level design for the development of the silver economy. In the future, the country will focus on fostering high-end products and high-quality service models to allow the elderly to share in the fruits of development and enjoy a happy retirement.
