The Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced that the National Test House (NTH), Northern Region, Ghaziabad, has upgraded its footwear testing capabilities by establishing a modern Shoe Testing Laboratory. This new facility is equipped with advanced instruments and infrastructure to conduct comprehensive quality testing for a wide range of footwear products in line with relevant Indian Standards (IS). The aim is to ensure that footwear products meet essential quality benchmarks related to durability, comfort, safety, and performance.
The upgraded laboratory at NTH Ghaziabad will be able to test various categories of footwear, including safety and industrial shoes, school and leather footwear, PVC footwear, sandals and chappals, children’s footwear, sports footwear, and specialized protective boots used in industrial and hazardous environments. This initiative is expected to make quality assessment more accessible for MSMEs and small-scale footwear manufacturers, offering dependable and timely testing services at affordable rates.
Located near major footwear manufacturing hubs like Delhi-NCR, Kanpur, and Agra, the laboratory is strategically positioned to reduce logistics costs and improve turnaround time for sample testing, benefiting footwear businesses across northern India. The establishment of this facility is a significant step towards strengthening India’s national quality infrastructure and supporting the country’s expanding footwear manufacturing ecosystem. It is anticipated to help manufacturers comply with both domestic and international quality standards, enhancing product reliability, consumer safety, and export competitiveness.
Officials highlighted that the laboratory will play a crucial role in facilitating quality compliance and enhancing the global acceptance of Indian footwear products. This initiative aligns with the government’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” and the “Make in India” mission, focusing on strengthening manufacturing competitiveness, promoting self-reliance, and building a robust quality assurance ecosystem for Indian industry.
