The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) has recognized six footwear factories with the special distinction as a Recognized Responsible Footwear Manufacturer for 2015. The factories were honored on Tuesday at a reception in Dongguan, China.
The 2015 class includes: Remington Products Company (Wadsworth, Ohio, USA), Ram Fashion Exports P.LT (Mumbai, India), Zhongshan Glory Shoes Industrial Co., Ltd (Zhongshan, China), Guangxi Seville Footwear Co., Ltd (Guangxi, China), Wenzhou Taiyangshen Shoe Co. (Wenzhou, China), Goddess International Limited (Sichuan, China).
FDRA’s Responsible Factory Program is designed to support and encourage compliance at footwear factories across the world. Recognized Responsible Footwear Manufacturers are factories that meet and exceed the program’s Footwear Production Code of Conduct, a set of values aimed at driving uniformity in the footwear industry. A committee of top footwear sourcing executives across the industry determined the recipients of seal based on those factories found to be the most compliant with the code of conduct.
This is the FDRA’s second set of recognized factories. The first group was selected in November 2014.
FDRA President Matt Priest praised the factories for their commitment to continuously improve factory conditions and standards. In a statement, he said, “This is our second year of recognizing factories with this distinction, and the desire to join these prestigious ranks is growing. Factories around the world are educated on our code of conduct and we are starting to see an impact across the industry’s supply chain as a result. As this program continues we expect to see ongoing improvements at footwear factories worldwide.”