Advancing Quality Management in Sporting Goods Manufacturing
2025-07 In a similar way as the aerospace or automotive industries rely on processes, controls and specifications to ensure customer safety, quality control in the manufacture of sporting goods, surfaces or apparel and footwear is essential for performance, dependability and durability. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has established globally recognized requirements for quality management which are applied increasingly across the supply chain in sport.
Fundamentals of Quality Systems
A set international standards, known as ISO 9000, define the fundamentals, vocabulary and requirements of quality management systems [1]. When implemented effectively, following these international standards can enable organizations
- to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements;
- to demonstrate conformity to specified or intended uses; and
- to enhance customer satisfaction [2].
Material Declarations
For example, the international standard for automotive quality management systems, known as IATF 1694, requires suppliers to declare the materials used in their products. In the same manner as such a material declaration process is crucial for ensuring the quality, safety, and compliance of automotive parts and components throughout the supply chain, accurate identification and documentation of all materials used in a sporting product could be helpful to identify products that are components of systems. Accordingly, such a process of material declaration can assist in meeting customer specific requirements, assuring compliance with hazardous substances regulations and ensure traceability throughout the supply chain.
Additional Information
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References
[1] ISO 9000:2015 Quality Management Systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary. Section 1 Scope. Page 1. Fourth edition (2015)
[2] ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems – Requirements. Section 0.1 General. Page vi. Fifth edition (2015)
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