Footwear glossary · Compliance & Testing
What is REACH compliance for footwear?
REACH compliance
REACH is the EU regulation (EC 1907/2006) restricting hazardous chemicals in products sold in Europe. REACH-compliant footwear is tested to keep restricted substances — azo dyes, chromium VI, PAHs, phthalates, heavy metals and more — within legal limits.
REACH Annex XVII restricts specific substances, and the SVHC Candidate List flags substances of very high concern. For footwear this means materials and finished shoes must stay within limits for azo dyes/arylamines, formaldehyde, chromium VI in leather, heavy metals, PAHs, phthalates, PFAS and more.
Compliance is demonstrated with accredited third-party lab reports (e.g. SGS, Intertek, BV-type) using standard test methods such as EN ISO 14362, EN ISO 17075 and AfPS GS 2019:01 PAK.
DOING builds to EU REACH and to a customer’s own RSL when stricter than law, and can arrange third-party lab reports so European buyers import with confidence. See /chemical-compliance.
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