In a momentous progression within the footwear sector, an extensive study spanning all of India on the dimensions of Indian feet has suggested the introduction of an indigenous sizing scheme ‘Bha’ derived from the name Bharat, replacing the prevailing UK/European and US sizing conventions.
The survey, carried out from December 2021 to March 2022, encompassing a staggering 1,01,880 individuals across 79 diverse locales in five distinct geographic zones, posits that a minimum of five distinct footwear sizing systems would be essential for Indians initially, accounting for the diversity of ethnicities. This proposal stemmed from the observation that individuals from the northeast regions of India typically possessed smaller foot sizes when contrasted with the populace elsewhere in the nation.
Employing advanced 3D foot scanning apparatus for enhanced comprehension of the dimensions, scale, and configuration of the average Indian foot, the survey revealed that the foot size development for the average Indian female reached its zenith at the age of 11, while for an Indian male, it peaked around the ages of 15 or 16.
Further discoveries unveiled that Indian feet, when compared, exhibited a broader profile in contrast to Europeans or Americans. Due to the constraints of the narrow footwear offered under the UK/European/US sizing criteria, Indians frequently resorted to wearing footwear a size larger than necessary, resulting in discomfort on occasion for the wearers.
Illustratively, the laces of men’s footwear were often drawn tighter than optimal to circumvent the shoes from feeling excessively loose, leading to compromised blood circulation for the wearer, as delineated by the survey’s findings.
The exigency for an indigenous sizing system for India arose following the realization that the UK system, introduced during British rule prior to Indian independence, lacked sufficient data on the foot structure, dimensions, and sizing of Indians. Under the UK system, the average Indian woman was purportedly fitted within footwear sizes ranging from 4 to 6, while the average Indian man was allocated between sizes 5 and 11.
Notably, stakeholders within the industry have reported that an estimated 50 percent of footwear orders placed online were met with rejection by consumers. In light of these multifaceted considerations, it is anticipated that the introduction of ‘Bha’ will yield advantages for both the end-users and the footwear manufacturing sector.