Sun Hing Lung Leather Co. Ltd
At the road intersection on Ki Lung Street, the best way
to know that one has arrived at Sun Hing Lung is by the
thick smell of leather impinging on the nose. Mr. Chan and
Mr. Fok are the second-generation owners, and they told of
the history of Sun Hing Lung, which was started 47 years
ago. There are over a thousand types of leather in the shop,
rolled up and stacked on racks.
Fok and Chan have been
working here for over 30 years, and they can tell the different
types of leather apart; sometimes simply by a light
touch they know that it is cowhide, sheepskin or pigskin.
Despite their superior knowledge on leather, they are unable
to fight against the leather industry’s decline. Since
the late 1980’s, retail business for leather has dwindled.
However, those big customers of the past or the small customers
of today are equally important to Sun Hing Lung.
“In recent years, students who study design, or those who
are in leather craft classes, come to buy from us. Though
these students only buy in small quantities, we will still cut
up leather to sell to them, since they are the supporters for
the continuation of the leather industry.” The small leather
pieces are bearing the hopes of Sun Hing Lung that Hong
Kong’s leather industry will survive and be succeeded by
the hands of the young generation.
