In Gansu province, hemp shoes, which used to be a must for local farmers, have made their way to the fashion world.

At the foot of the barren hills of Gangu county stand a cluster of workshops. An array of colorful hemp shoes displayed on shiny glass shelves looks out of place against the shops' dusty surroundings.

From slippers and sandals to sneakers, the handmade hemp shoes seem even stranger when Wang Yingwu, a workshop manager, said they were originally designed in Italy, France and Japan, even though many of the local craftsmen know little about these countries.