Footwear and leather products manufacturers in Kenya can now access the regional markets.
This after the Kenya Bureau of Standards(KEBS) adopted nine new footwear, hides and skins standards.
“The new standards will level trade in footwear and leather products produced within member states in the East African community by use of comparable standards,” said Bernard Njiraini, Managing Director, KEBS.
The footwear standards cover the most utilised footwear category of open and closed shoes for men, women and children from two to six years of age and outline crucial requirements such as bonding strength.
The standards have defined limits of heavy metals especially for shoes of young children and infants to protect them from exposure to harmful chemicals while ensuring functionality.
The standards body also approved codes of practice for preservation of raw hides and skins.
Some of the preservation methods include use of salt to dehydrate the raw hide or skin, air drying or suspension methods and use of approved chemicals in pickling.
“Preservation standards will guide safeguarding of raw hides and skins immediately after flaying/slaughter to prevent growth of microbiological organisms or rotting. This will in turn increase the production of leather in the country, both for local use and export,” said Njiraini..
It is expected that the standards will be a great boost to local businesses as well as the government's big 4 agenda of increasing manufacturing of local products and spurring economic growth.
