“In early this year, the national standard GB/T 43587-2023 for ‘Old Man Shoes’ was issued, outlining regulations on the design, safety performance, and physical mechanical properties of elderly footwear products. In addition, the State Administration for Market Regulation has provided illustrated interpretations to facilitate consumer comprehension.”
“According to reports, the issuance of the standard signifies not only a crucial measure in aligning with the national agenda to promote elderly products and standardization development but also an imperative for industry progress and the safeguarding of elderly rights. The introduction of national standards is poised to effectively govern and steer the high-quality development of the elderly footwear sector. Notably, Zuliz, serving as the lead drafting entity for the national standard, has played an integral role throughout the standard-setting procedures.”
The national standard for elderly footwear has been released, resolving the industry’s lack of a national standard to adhere to.
Currently, our country is experiencing a rapid development in aging population. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on January 17th revealed that by the end of 2023, the population of individuals aged 60 and above in China was approaching 300 million, accounting for 21.1% of the total population. Among them, the population of individuals aged 65 and above was 217 million, making up 15.4% of the total population.
Given the vast elderly consumer base, the elderly footwear market exhibits characteristics such as high demand and a wide variety of products. Although there are numerous elderly footwear products available on the market, the absence of widely applicable and universally accepted standards for elderly footwear has led to the reliance on the GB/T 15107 “Travel Shoes” standard. This has resulted in a lack of supervision and regulation over the performance indicators (such as overall cushioning performance, slip resistance, and no need for bending to tie shoelaces) of elderly footwear products sold on the market, leading to varying product quality and making elderly footwear a controversial product.
Furthermore, the absence of national standards has posed challenges for quality control at the production level and quality inspections at the market supervision level. Various levels of government departments have recognized the importance and urgency of establishing the national standard for “Old Man Shoes.”
It is reported that this standard was initiated in August 2021, with the formation of a drafting working group in September of the same year. After going through stages such as drafting, soliciting opinions, pre-review, submission for review, and approval, and undergoing thorough validation over a span of 2 years, the standard was finally released. This has resolved the issue of the lack of a unified standard for elderly footwear categories, marking a milestone event in the development of the elderly footwear industry.
As an industry leader, Zuliz has actively participated in the standardization process.
Zuliz, as a leading figure in the industry, has always shouldered the responsibility of constructing the industry’s standardization system. According to publicly available information, in nearly a decade of existence, they have led and participated in the drafting of 24 standards, including 1 national standard, 2 light industry standards for aging, 12 industry and association standards, and 9 enterprise standards. Among these, the enterprise standards for travel shoes and casual shoes have each received the “Pioneer” and “Advanced Standard” certificates, respectively. The specialized standardization development of Zuliz’s elderly footwear has served as an advanced demonstration and guiding force for the overall elderly footwear industry.
The release of the national standard for elderly footwear in August 2021 marked a significant step towards the industry’s advancement.
Zuliz, as a leading enterprise in the field, was invited to participate in the drafting of the standard and was entrusted with the responsibility of being the primary drafting unit. Leveraging their expertise in quality system development and the database of elderly users’ foot shapes, Zuliz actively contributed to various aspects of the standard-setting process, providing valuable feasibility references for the drafting of the standard.
The implementation of the national standard for elderly footwear will effectively regulate and guide the development of the elderly footwear industry. As a frontrunner in the industry, Zuliz will also play a crucial role in demonstrating the importance of standardization system development, showcasing exemplary corporate practices, and driving the industry towards standardized, quality-oriented development.
The official enforcement of the national standard for “Old Man Shoes” will help uphold the quality standards of elderly footwear products, enhance the quality and standard awareness of production enterprises, provide a basis for product quality supervision by market regulatory authorities, and promote the standardized development and continuous improvement of product quality in the elderly footwear industry. This will meet the increasing demand from elderly consumers for high-quality footwear products. This standard, as a key support for the construction of the recommended standard system for elderly products, plays a strong demonstrative role in enhancing and perfecting the standardization work for elderly products.
