In May 2025, ZULIZ launched its summer new products, “Ruyi Mom Shoes” and “Ping’an Dad Shoes,” which excelled in five dimensions including biomechanics, antibacterial performance, and shock absorption. These products secured the first domestic five-star comfort certification for elderly shoes in the category from SGS. This breakthrough not only signifies a technological upgrade in the Chinese elderly shoe industry but also reflects the profound transformation of China’s silver economy from “functional satisfaction” to “quality experience.” It marks a milestone event in ZULIZ’s strategic shift from a “function-oriented” approach to a “comfort experience” focus.
The underlying logic of the SGS certification system: Dual verification from laboratory data to user experience.
As an internationally recognized testing, inspection, and certification organization, SGS’s certification system is centered on “scientific quantification + user perception.” The testing dimensions cover various disciplines such as ergonomics, material science, and environmental engineering. In this certification, “Ruyi Mom Shoes” and “Ping’an Dad Shoes” demonstrated outstanding performance in key indicators such as biomechanics, antibacterial performance, shock absorption, overall shoe breathability, and insole moisture absorption and desorption capacity. This outcome not only validates the product’s physical performance but also ensures the universality of comfort experience through subjective evaluations from a sample of thousands of wearers.
Of note is that this SGS certification surpasses the limitations of traditional footwear testing. For instance, in biomechanical testing, the analysis of elderly gait characteristics using pressure sensor matrices helps assess the shoe’s fit and comfort during wear.
In addressing the core pain points of summer elderly footwear products, “Ruyi Mom Shoes” and “Ping’an Dad Shoes” showcased precise scenario-based technological innovations. Targeting common issues like excessive foot sweating, stickiness, and bacterial growth during elderly summer outings, both products demonstrated benchmark performance in antibacterial capabilities and overall shoe breathability testing. Achieving a perfect score of 100 in antibacterial performance testing, the products proved a bacterial inhibition rate of >99% against three types of bacteria, effectively alleviating foot odor issues. Both shoes utilized a perforated flyknit structural design, showcasing excellent overall shoe breathability, ensuring dry and comfortable feet even in temperatures exceeding 35°C.
In the dimension of shock absorption critical for elderly physiological health, both products scored above 94 in dynamic pressure testing conducted by SGS laboratories. They effectively absorb the impact forces between the feet and the ground during walking. Analysis of gait data shows a reduction in knee and ankle strain. As individuals age, irreversible physiological degeneration occurs in the feet. Wearing shoes with excellent shock absorption not only absorbs walking forces but also alleviates foot fatigue, making steps lighter and providing a comfortable experience akin to “walking on soft cushions.” This technological innovation serves as preventive protection for the lower limb joints of elderly individuals who walk over 5000 steps daily.
Industry transformation insights: From “category pioneers” to “standard setters.”
Behind this certification is ZULIZ’s deep understanding and strategic positioning in the elderly consumer market. As the first drafting unit of the national standard for “Elderly Shoes,” ZULIZ has incorporated the five dimensions of SGS certification into its internal control standards, establishing a dual quality system of “national standards + enterprise standards.” ZULIZ will continue to lead the industry towards high-quality development.
ZULIZ’s “comfort revolution” is reshaping the competitive landscape in the market. According to Ouredata, it has maintained the top spot in the domestic market for four consecutive years. From a comprehensive online presence on e-commerce platforms to over 3000 offline experiential stores, ZULIZ has established a closed-loop system encompassing research and development, production, sales, and service.
Of particular note, ZULIZ’s innovative practices are driving a restructuring of industry value. In the 2024 “Promotion Catalog of Products for the Elderly” released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, ZULIZ’s graphene thermal shoes, peppermint cooling shoes, and three other products were selected, setting a benchmark for the industry. This “technology benefits for all” effect not only enhances the quality of life for the elderly population but also stimulates growth in the “silver economy.”
Looking ahead to future strategies, ZULIZ’s “comfort certification” is evolving into “ecosystem empowerment.” Faced with the vast market of 300 million elderly individuals in China, ZULIZ’s “comfort strategy” has shown a clear path for advancement. On the product side, ZULIZ will subject more products to professional evaluation and certification to provide elderly consumers with a better wearing experience backed by objective performance testing.
Industry experts point out that ZULIZ’s practices provide a dual-driving paradigm of “quality + warmth” for the silver economy. The Sullivan “China Silver Economy Development Report” predicts that by 2028, China’s silver economy will reach 12.3 trillion yuan, with a compound growth rate of 11.8%. Against this backdrop, ZULIZ’s “comfort revolution” is not just a triumph of product innovation but also a vibrant implementation of the national strategy of “positive aging.” As more companies integrate the comfort experience of the elderly into their core strategies, the high-quality development of China’s aging industry will enter a new chapter.
From being known as the “world’s factory” to becoming a hub for silver innovation, ZULIZ’s recent certification marks a breakthrough for Chinese manufacturing in a specialized field. Behind the SGS five-star certification is a profound understanding of the needs of the elderly demographic, a rigorous pursuit of product quality, and a sense of responsibility and commitment to industry development. When “comfort” becomes the core indicator for measuring elderly products, this revolution that began with a pair of shoes is reshaping the global value coordinates of the silver economy. In the future, as more companies join the “age-friendly” innovation track, China’s aging industry is poised to become a new benchmark for global health consumption.
