SGS India Ensures Quality Standards in the Footwear and Leather Industry

HONG KONG, China - Dec. 4, 2015 - PRLog -- Prominent Leather Industry in India

The Indian leather and footwear industry holds a prominent place in the Indian economy thanks to its consistent high export earnings. The export of leather and leather products has increased greatly over the past decades and reached a record high of USD 5.91 billion during 2013-14, recording a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of approximately 15%. (1) The leather industry has an abundance of raw materials, as India has 21% of the world’s cattle and buffalo and 11% of the world’s goat and sheep population. (1) This, coupled with advantages of skilled manpower, innovative technology, increasing industry compliance to international standards and dedicated support of allied industries has given the Indian leather and footwear industry a unique and strong position worldwide.

Wide Range of Testing for the Footwear and Leather Industry

To this increasingly quality conscious, product safety driven and regulated industry, SGS India, with footwear labs located at Chennai and Gurgaon has emerged as the perfect partner. SGS has a wide range of leather and footwear testing services for both domestic and international markets right in the heart of South Asia’s sourcing hub. Equipped with sophisticated instruments, these cutting-edge laboratories are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for ISO 17025. Both the laboratories work in tandem with 10 sample collection centers which are located deep in the footwear and leather core sourcing zones around India.

Reference:

(1) Council for Leather Exports – Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India (http://www.leatherindia.org/about-council/industryatGlanc...)

About SGS Softlines Footwear & Leather Services

SGS offers a full array of physical and chemical testing services, audits, inspections and technical consultancy for footwear and leather products (http://www.sgs.com/en/Consumer-Goods-Retail/Softlines-and...). Their global knowledge, expertise and service orientation along with local presence ensures best-in-class service delivery.

Partnering with SGS to Enhance Product Compliance

Quality and design are the top two essential attributes for the footwear industry. Design, an in-house capability, varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Quality, however, is the major differentiator. To ensure the quality and safety of shoes, SGS’ laboratories help manufacturers test different components that become part of their final products.

- Raw material testing: wet blues, leather chemicals, auxiliaries and adhesives

- Component testing: leather, textile lining, fur materials, metal accessories

- Fashion footwear testing: physical performance and restricted substance testing (e.g. REACH, SVHC, CPSIA, GB and other countries’ regulations)

- CE Certification for PPE Safety footwear and gloves: safety footwear, protective footwear, occupational footwear, fire fighter footwear, footwear protection against chemical and electrical hazards, protective gloves against mechanical risk

- Technical troubleshooting: chromium VI prevention, mold prevention, defect analysis, volatile organic compounds

- Supply Chain Solution: product inspection, social compliance audit

Increased demand for quality performance and adherence to different legal regulations in many countries has created the need for an integrated solution. As a result, SGS covers all these requirements under one roof.

For further information, please contact an SGS expert.

Contact details:

Kris Wan

Senior Manager, Global Softlines Development Office

SGS Hong Kong

t: +852 27747492

Email: global.sl@sgs.com

Website: www.sgs.com/softlines

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 80,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,650 offices and laboratories around the world.