Author: Sixth Tone

ZHEJIANG, East China — On a cavernous factory floor, workers in blue overalls sort through huge piles of dog chews molded into the shape of candy canes.Workers carefully inspect and weigh each item, before bagging it for shipment. In a month or two, the festive dog treats will begin their long journey West, where they will hit supermarket shelves in time for the Christmas shopping rush.The factory is one of dozens in Shuitou, a small Chinese town that has dominated the global market for an unusual product category: novelty pet accessories.Shuitou is a classic example of a Chinese “specialty town”:…