Chemicals and lead

Chemical recalls are about what the shoe is made of rather than how it breaks. For children’s shoes the issue is almost always lead in paint or in the material itself, which is limited by federal law for products made for children 12 and under. For adult shoes the notices on this site name substances such as chromium in leather and benzidine-type compounds in fabric uppers or linings, with skin contact as the concern.

You usually cannot see or feel the problem, so the only reliable check is the style name, color and date on the official notice. Remedies are typically refunds, and notices ask you to stop wearing the shoes.

What the numbers show

• Who wore them: children’s 6, adult / unisex 2, women’s 1.
• Product types: boots (3), shoes (2), sandals, clogs and flip-flops (2), heels and dress shoes (1), sneakers and athletic shoes (1).
• 0 of 8 detailed notices cite reports before the recall.
• No notice in this group gives a count of injuries.
• Median time on sale before the recall: 10 months, across 8 notices that give sale dates.
• Most common country of manufacture: China (5), Vietnam (1), Thailand (1), Brazil (1).
• Remedies named: refund 5, replace 2.

By decade

Largest recalls in this group