Footwear should also be labeled

The Ecuadorian Institute for Standardisation (INEN, for its acronym in Spanish) exposed the new changes to the technical regulation 080 for the control of labelling of footwear either of national or foreign production.

These reforms, which will be in force from December 7, as well as the new labelling of textiles, determine that labels should be attached to the garment in a visible place.

Seven are the things  that must be included on the label: size; country of origin or a legend that says “made in”; identification of the manufacturer, importer or distributor; identification of the materials of its components; trademark; logo; (e) and indicate if it has no backing.

Agustin Ortiz, director of INEN, pointed out that the aim of these requirements is to establish the true origin of the product, but the most important reason is that consumers who suffer from some type of allergy can know the different components.

Manufacturers and importers must get the inspection certificate, issued by an entity accredited by the Agency of accreditation of Ecuador (OAE).

In the case of importers the products will be inspected and sampled. On the other hand, for domestic products, review and sampling will be on the manufacture’s location.

The authorities will have the power to ask the manufacturer or the importer  for tests in an accredited laboratory to check the materials used, and these costs will be  assumed by employers.