From July 1, 2023, QCOs will apply to the 24 footwear products categorised under footwear made from leather and other materials, and those made from all polymeric and all rubber materials, Tiwari stated. Following this date, a BIS Licence will be compulsory for manufacturing, importing, or selling products covered by these QCOs, India’s ministry of consumer affairs, food, and public distribution said in a press release.
For five recently revised standards, manufacturers will be granted a further six months till January 1, 2024 to comply. The standards, developed in consultation with industry bodies, consumer organisations, and other stakeholders, aim to guarantee quality and authenticity.
To facilitate compliance for small and micro-scale industries, the implementation date is set as January 1, 2024 for the former and July 1, 2024 for the latter. Testing facilities have been established at BIS labs, Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Labs and a Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), with 11 private labs also recognised for testing footwear.
Additionally, certified start-ups and micro industrial units will benefit from an 80 per cent reduction on testing charges under the QCOs.
Tiwari further highlighted that the ministry of textiles issued the Geo Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023, and Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023, on April 10, 2023. The new regulations bring 19 geo-textile products and 12 protective textile products under mandatory BIS certification from October 10, 2023.
In the spirit of inclusivity, the BIS has introduced the ‘Public Call Facility’, inviting feedback and suggestions from all stakeholders to enhance the standardisation process.
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