BIS to create awareness about mandatory licence for footwear
The Hindu
Manufacturers have to apply online for the licence
The Bureau of Indian Standards, Chennai Region, has started reaching out to footwear manufacturers across the State as BIS certification has been made mandatory for various kinds of footwear from July 1.
Officials of the BIS, Chennai, said most kinds of footwear, including leather, rubber slippers, PVC sandals, sports footwear, industrial boots, ankle boots, canvas shoes, protective footwear used by miners and those used for municipal work, would now need to conform to quality control order. It applies to footwear made from all rubber and polymeric material and its components.
Manufacturers have to apply online for a mandatory licence and the products have to bear ISI standard mark from July 1, officials said.
Nearly 27 different Indian standards related to footwear, including IS 15844:2010 for sports footwear and IS 3735:1996 with specifications on quality of materials in manufacturing, are being made mandatory now. However, medical footwear is not covered under the quality control order or mandatory ISI mark, officials added.
G. Bhavani, Head, Chennai Branch office-1, BIS, said awareness was being created on the online application procedure and need to clear existing stock in the next few months. Customers may begin to look for ISI mark in footwears.
“We are coordinating with various self-help groups and footwear manufacturers to spread awareness on quality control order. We are organising programmes with SHGs in Chennai and with Andhra Chamber of Commerce for the footwear manufacturers of Vellore and Tirupattur districts,” she said.
There are about 150 footwear manufacturers who have a voluntary BIS licence. Of these, nearly 87 licences are held by manufacturers of safety footwear as per IS 15298: 2016. But, more manufacturers need to be brought into the BIS ambit, she added.