Shoe Testing and the American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA)

The APMA

From stilettos, slippers and sling-backs to hiking boots and sneakers, shoes and footwear are tested to ensure their safety, durability and wearability.  This week, Contract Laboratory received a request from a shoe company needing a Third-Party Laboratory to perform testing of their children’s shoe line to American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) Seal of Acceptance for children’s shoes.

Although the APMA does not test the shoes, they have a Seal of Approval/Acceptance Program for shoes. The program allows a shoe or footwear manufacturer to put a Seal of Acceptance or Seal of Approval on their shoes. They give the seal to shoes or footwear that promotes good foot health.

To earn the seal, a committee reviews the data on the product’s safety and quality control. Data that needs to be included is:

• Documentary evidence regarding composition
• Physical and chemical properties
• Evidence of safety and efficacy
• Quality control systems utilized by the manufacturer
• All labeling, package inserts, advertising, and promotional materials
• Objective data from clinical and/or laboratory studies that support any claims made about the product.

Here’s the link for more information about the APMA Seal of Approval / Acceptance Program for shoes.

Shoe Testing Projects

Contract Laboratory has helped many footwear and shoe designers, manufacturers, importers/exporters and stores with footwear and shoe testing, inspection, and research studies. Below are some examples:

• USA CONSUMER PRODUCTS LABORATORY NEEDED FOR SHOE TESTING: DROP TEST ON THE HEEL OF SHOES
• California biomechanical laboratory needed for Biomechanical testing of new running shoe prototypes.
• USA Laboratory needed for dance shoe footwear Testing. Tests needed for Flex (insole), Abrasion of leather, adhesion of sole (pull test).
• USA Materials Laboratory needed for Wear testing for validation of a printing process on a printed insole topcoat fabric used for shoe soles. The process is a heat cured dtg printing process that we are using on in s
• Men’s dress shoe manufacturer needs laboratory for REACH testing and CPSIA testing. Materials are leather, EVA et TR.
• California Materials Laboratory need for sneaker Testing of 3 sneaker samples with variation of materials. Leather Testing for determination of synthetic vs. natural leather.
• Footwear Company needs West Coast laboratory for Footwear testing – 8 styles of shoes.
• Hawaii Physical Laboratory needed for footwear testing for the coefficient of friction testing for soles of shoes and heels for legal case.
• Southwest USA analytical chemistry laboratory needed for de-formulation testing of three cleaning products that are sold as a set and used to clean shoes and hats i have a msds for one of the products…. the first one
• Safety Certification Laboratory needed for ASTM, ANSI Safety Testing pair of Anti-Slip Safety Shoe Soles to ASTM, ANSI A1264.2 standard for the provision of slip resistance contact to get it tested and certified quickly.
• Major shoe manufacturer needs Canada materials laboratory to determine the percentage of the materials in the upper of footwear – for example 30% leather/70% polyester.
• Mechanical Laboratory needed for failure testing shoes for technical problem. Heels are shaking and shoes are not stable.
• San Francisco, California Mechanical Laboratory needed for functional testing of key design elements of orthotic foot beds. Gait analysis in shoe pressure testing

Learn more about how footwear industry standards and testing ensure safe shoes!

If your shoe or footwear manufacturing or design company needs a laboratory for footwear or shoe testing, inspection or certification, let us help you! Submit a free test request on our website or call us toll free at 1-855-377-6821.