Physical footwear tests

 

Footwear protects the foot from the rough and the elements. Despite this, the foot is subject to significant stresses: it helps us to maintain our balance in a static position, it allows us to move around on all types of surfaces (flat or uneven, up or down stairs), and it must have the ability to respond to spontaneous accelerations. 

During an activity, footwear must follow the motion of the foot: it must not counter, favour or amplify its natural movements.

 

General and specific characteristics of physical footwear tests

Everything a consumer expects from footwear (mentioned above) is incorporated by the manufacturer into what is known as the fit.

The fit is decided by the design office and described in the product’s functional specifications. These take into account the specific needs of the individual and the activity concerned.

For a shoe to be comfortable to wear, it must correspond as closely as possible to the foot’s shape, it must also meet the requirements of the activity for which it is intended. There exists a wide variety of footwear ranges.

They are segmented for children, women, men and seniors, or by type of activity (sport, safety, etc.). 

Our footwear specialists and laboratory experts are on hand to advise you about the types of tests best suited to your products and your needs.

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Physical footwear tests

Physical and mechanical test footwear : leather upper

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Colour fastness to Rubbing (dry and wet)Color fastnessEN ISO 17700
Determination of water vapour permeability and absorption (mg/cm².h)ComfortEN 13515 - ISO 17699
End point resistanceMechanical resistanceNF G 62.013
Flex resistance of the upper On Bally FlexometerMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17694
Resistance to tear strength of upperMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17696
Resistance to tensile strength and elongationMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17706
Water resistance test On Bally PenetrometerComfortEN ISO 17702

Physical and mechanical test footwear : textil upper

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Colour fastness to Rubbing (dry and wet)Color fastnessEN ISO 17700
Determination of water vapour permeability and absorption (mg/cm².h)ComfortEN 13515 - ISO 17699
End point resistanceMechanical resistanceNF G 62.013
Flex resistance of the upper On Bally FlexometerMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17694
Resistance to tear strength of upperMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17696
Resistance to tensile strength and elongationMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17706
Water resistance test On Bally PenetrometerComfortEN ISO 17702

Physical and mechanical test footwear : lining

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Abrasion resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §6.12
EN ISO 20345 §5.5.3
Abrasion resistance MartindaleMechanical resistanceEN 13520 - ISO 17704
Colour fastness to Rubbing (wet)Color fastnessEN ISO 17700
Determination of water vapour permeability and absorption (mg/cm².h)ComfortEN 13515 - ISO 17699
Resistance to tear strength of upperMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17696

Physical and mechanical test footwear : insoles seat socks

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Colour fastness to Rubbing (wet)Color fastnessEN ISO 17700
Determination of water absorptionComfortEN ISO 22649
Water absorption / desorptionMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §7.2
EN ISO 20345 §5.7.3

Physical and mechanical test footwear : outsole

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Abrasion resistanceMechanical resistanceEN 12770 - ISO 20871
Abrasion resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §8.4
EN ISO 20345 §5.8.4
Bending resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §8.5
EN ISO 20344 §8.6
EN ISO 20345 §5.8.5
Color fastness to ultra-violet LightColor fastnessNF G 52 300
Contact heat resistance (HRO)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §8.9
EN ISO 20345 §6.4.1
Flex resistanceMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17707
Flex resistance (small size)Mechanical resistanceISO 132
Hydrocarbon resistance (FO)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §8.8
EN ISO 20345 §6.4.2
Insert perforation (P / PL / PS)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.1
Resistance to tear strengthMechanical resistanceEN 12771 - ISO 20872
Resistance to tensile strength and elongationMechanical resistanceEN 12803 - ISO 22654
Tear resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §8.3
EN ISO 20345 §5.8.3

Physical and mechanical test footwear : top piece

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Abrasion resistanceMechanical resistanceEN 12770 - ISO 20871
Abrasion resistanceMechanical resistanceLHOMARGY - CTC Method - CTC-P-CH-017
Top piece retention strengthMechanical resistanceEN ISO 19958

Physical and mechanical test footwear : heels

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Impact ResistanceMechanical resistanceCTC method - CTC-P-CH-016

Physical and mechanical test footwear : accessories

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Abrasion resistance of shoe lacesMechanical resistanceEN ISO 22774
Accessories tear strengthOther testsEN 71-1
Aging zipsMechanical resistanceEN 16732 Annexe F
Metallic accessories corrosion resistanceOther testsEN ISO 22775 Méthode 2
Side opening resistance of zipperMechanical resistanceEN 16732 Annexe G

Physical and mechanical test footwear : whole shoe

Test nameCriteriaStandard
Antistatic footwear (A)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.13
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.2.2
Behaviour of toecaps (thermal and chemical)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.6.2
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.2.5
Cold insulation of outsole complex (CI)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.16
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.3.2
Cut-resistant shoe (CR)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN 388:2018
EN ISO 20344 § 5.23
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.8.3
Determination adhesion between midsole and outsoleMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17708
Determination adhesion between outsole and upperMechanical resistanceEN ISO 17708
Determination of washability in domestic washing machineColor fastnessEN ISO 19954
Flex resistance whole shoesOther testsEN ISO 24266 Méthode A
Heat insulation of outsole complex (HI)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.15
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.3.1
Heel energy absorption capacity (E)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.17
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.4
Metatarsal protection (M) - Impact resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.20
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.6.2
Reins of shoesOther testsCTC method - CTC-P-CH-009
Slip resistanceOther testsEN ISO 24267
Slip resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.14
EN ISO 20344 §6.2.10
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.5
Special ergonomic features Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.1
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.4
Toe protection - Crush resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.5
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.2.7
Toe protection: impact resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.4
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.2.6
Toecaps corrosion resistanceMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.6.2
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.2.4
Upper/outsole bond strengthMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.2
EN ISO 20345 §5.3.1.2
Water resistance (WR)Mechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.19
EN ISO 20345 §6.2.5
WaterproofingMechanical risk
PEE
EN ISO 20344 §5.7
ISO 20345 §5.3.3

 

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Making footwear

It may be hard for consumers to imagine the number of steps involved in making footwear, from the stylist or designer’s initial thought process to getting the finished products on the shop shelf. The process involves many different types of expertise, and the manufacturer must also work with a variety of suppliers.

Footwear manufacturing flowchart

 

The creation of a shoe is divided into several stages: 

  • The design and production of the shoe last, which determines the look of the toe, the height of the heel and the fit volume 
  • The drawing of the model in 2D and 3D, with the chosen materials and colours 
  • The drawing of the model’s lines on the 3D shoe last 
  • Details on the type of edge finish and assembly methods are also given for the upper 
  • The drawing and details for the sole are also provided by the stylists or designers.

 

The elements of a shoe

A shoe can be broken down into three main parts:

1. The upper, most often composed of the upper part and the lining 

2. The assembly insole, covered by a sock liner 

3. The sole, which is now increasingly composed of several materials.

To create, assemble and shape these three elements, we first need to create a fourth element: the last.
The volume of the last is close to that of the foot.

 

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