Swastik Boot Factory

The factory is located on Rajiv Cinema Road in Shahganj, at number 50/75. It’s a busy road and the cinema nearby means there are always groups of people standing around outside. Inside the factory, it’s mostly the sound of the sewing machines and the smell of the leather and the glue we use. We have different sections set up for cutting the soles and stitching the uppers together. It’s a bit dark in the back of the shop, but we have some big lamps over the main workstations to help us see. Some of the guys have worked here for years and they know exactly how to handle the machines when they start acting up. We don't have a big showroom for people to browse; it's mostly just piles of boots ready to be boxed up and sent out. The floor is almost always covered in small scraps of material. We try to sweep it all up at the end of every day, but it’s right back to being messy the next morning. It’s hard work and it’s usually quite warm inside the building. The water cooler in the corner is probably the most popular spot here during the summer. We just focus on getting the orders finished on time without making mistakes. There's no air conditioning, just a couple of big wall fans that mostly just move the warm air around. It’s a straightforward place where we make shoes.