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Chemical compliance · Restricted substances
REACH & RSL chemical compliance
European buyers import with confidence: DOING manufactures footwear to EU REACH and international chemical regulations, and tests to your own Restricted Substances List (RSL) — verified by accredited third-party laboratories.
What we comply with
Regulations & standards
EU REACH
Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 — Annex XVII restrictions and the SVHC Candidate List of substances of very high concern.
EU POP Regulation
Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (e.g. PFOA).
Customer RSLs
Brand and retailer Restricted Substances Lists — we test and comply with your own RSL when stricter than law.
US CPSIA & Prop 65
US lead/phthalate limits for children’s products and California Proposition 65, where your market requires.
What we test for
Restricted substance groups
We test the substance groups that matter for footwear entering the EU and other regulated markets, using recognised EN/ISO test methods:
| Substance group | Where it occurs | Typical test method |
|---|---|---|
| Azo dyes & aromatic amines | Carcinogenic arylamines released from certain azo colourants | EN ISO 14362 (textile) · EN ISO 17234 (leather) |
| Formaldehyde | Free and released formaldehyde in textiles and leather | EN ISO 14184 · EN ISO 17226 |
| Chromium VI | Hexavalent chromium in leather | EN ISO 17075 |
| Heavy metals | Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury (total & extractable) | EN 16711 / CPSIA |
| Nickel release | From metal trims, buckles, eyelets in prolonged skin contact | EN 1811 · EN 12472 |
| PAHs | Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rubber & plastic parts | AfPS GS 2019:01 PAK |
| Phthalates | Plasticisers in PVC and soft plastic components | EN ISO 14389 / EN 14372 |
| Solvents (DMF, DMAc) | Residual spinning/process solvents | EN 17131 |
| APEO (NP/OP, NPE/OPE) | Alkylphenols & ethoxylates from wet processing | EN ISO 18254 / 21084 |
| Organotin compounds | TBT, DBT and related stabilisers | EN ISO 22744 |
| PFAS / PFOA | Per- and poly-fluorinated compounds in water-repellent finishes | CEN/TS 15968 / extraction GC-MS |
| Pentachlorophenol (PCP) | Preservative residues in leather and textiles | EN ISO 17070 |
Specific limits follow EU legal thresholds or your own RSL where stricter. Substance scope is tailored to your product and target market.
How it works in your order
Compliance built into the process
Align
We confirm the regulations and your RSL for the target market before development.
Select
Materials and chemicals are chosen to meet those limits from the start.
Test
Materials are tested before mass production; accredited lab reports arranged on request.
Verify
Final compliance documented so you can import and sell with confidence.
FAQ
Chemical compliance — questions
Are your shoes REACH compliant?
Yes. We manufacture to EU REACH (Regulation 1907/2006), including Annex XVII restrictions and the SVHC Candidate List, and can provide third-party lab test reports on request.
Can you comply with our company RSL?
Yes. Where you have your own Restricted Substances List — often stricter than the legal limits — we align material selection and testing to it and verify by accredited third-party laboratory testing.
Do you test materials before production?
Yes. Restricted-substance and physical testing is done at the material-confirmation stage, before mass production, so non-compliant materials are caught before they are used. See our testing & quality standards.
Which test reports can you provide?
We can arrange accredited third-party laboratory reports (e.g. SGS, Intertek, BV, TÜV-type labs) covering the substance groups relevant to your product and market.
Need REACH / RSL-compliant footwear?
Tell us your market and your RSL — we’ll confirm the test programme and provide the compliance reports your buyers require.
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