Shoe definitions beginning with the letter F
Faux Leather
Simulated non-animal leather-like material, usually polyurethane.
Feather Line
Also known as: Feather Edge
The boundary line around a shoe's upper where it joins the welt or sole, the corresponding line around an insole and the corresponding line around a last.
Category: lasting, shoe parts, shoemaking
Fibreboard
American: Fiberboard
A generic stiffening material made from cellulose fibre obtained from wood pulp, or from re-processed cardboard bonded with resin or latex that softens with use. It is most often used for making heel and toe counters. The quality is closely controlled and graded according to laboratory tests. Grade 1 for seat board and Grade 3 for shank board. There is no Grade 2.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Finish
The process by which the final appearance of a shoe is created. The finish can include the application of polish to create a high-gloss finish, or a contrasting polish to create a rub-off finish like 'antiquing'.
Category: shoemaking
Finishing
The process of improving the durability and appearance of shoes using various operations such as bottom securing and edge trimming.
Category: shoemaking
Finishing Last
A last on which footwear is generally finished. This last is made in two parts and hinged together. A finishing last is half a size smaller than a lasting last and is rounded more in the heel seat portion.
Category: lasting, shoemaking
Fisherman Sandals
Type of sandal with woven or stitched vertical and horizontal straps, often with a closed toe.
Category: casual shoes, sandals, shoe styles
Fitness Shoes
Athletic shoes ideally suited for gym-style workouts.
Category: athletic shoes, shoe styles
Fitting Shoes
Fitting shoes are shoes made in more than one width in each size. The width is commonly indicated by a letter or number. The general scheme of width markings for women's shoes made in the UK is: narrow-AA, A, B, C: medium-D, E, broad-F, G, H. Corresponding number markings for the three groups would be: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. In men's shoes the UK classification of fittings is approximately: narrow-A, B, C; medium-D, E, F; broad-G, H; and the corresponding number groups are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The difference in sizes is 5mm in joint girth between consecutive whole sizes up to and including children's size 10, and 6.5mm joint girth for sizes above 10.
Category: shoe styles
Fitting Stool
A low slanting topped stool upon which the shoe sales assistant sits while helping a customer try on footwear. The fitting stool has an edge to rest the customer's foot while the assistant adjusts the footwear.
Category: tools
Flanged Heel
Also known as: Flange Heel
A heel made with a flare towards the bottom of the heel.
Category: heels, shoe parts
Flanged Upper
Also known as: Flanging Upper
A turned out edge along the seams of joins on the upper created by lasting allowance (leaving a small excess margin on pieces used to make an upper to allow for errors), instead of turning it in as per usual with all other lasting methods of upper piece joining. A good example of this can be seen on the Southern African veldskoen.
Category: lasting, shoe parts, shoemaking
Flannel
A raised cotton cloth that is used as inner lining in some shoes. Flannel has the texture of a very fine toweling material.
Category: materials
Flap Splitting
The process of dividing the sole for a Louis heel at the seat to allow part of it to go up the heel and the rest to go under the heel.
Category: heels, shoemaking
Flare
The width of the heel at the bottom of the outer sole in relation to the width of the heel at the top of the outsole. Normally a moderate amount of flare, i.e., wider at the bottom, improves stability and motion control.
Flash
Also known as: Sprue
Flash occurs in moulded or vulcanised shoes where excess PVC or rubber is extruded where mould parts join. Flash is generally trimmed off before footwear is boxed.
Category: shoemaking
Flat Fitting
The process of positioning a section of an upper on a flat base prior to stitching.
Category: shoemaking
Flat Foot
More commonly: Flat Footed
A foot in which the arch or arches, especially the internal metatarsal arch, have either been broken or have not developed normally.
Category: podiatry
Flats
Shoes with no heel. A general term for shoe styles with low wedge heels.
Category: shoe styles
Flesh Side
The inner side of an animal skin or piece of leather; opposite to the grain, grain side, or outer side.
Category: leather
Flexibility
The ease with which the bottom or upper components of a shoe can be bent. This is one of the requisite properties of a shoe component in order to facilitate foot movement during walking or running.
Category: jargon
Flexors
The muscles on the sole of the foot, the contraction of which bring the foot inline with the leg.
Category: foot parts, podiatry
Flexwelts ™
Underfoot system with Poron® to reduce shock and odour. Leather soles with flexible, slip-resistant rubber inserts. Comfortable straight from the box.
Category: jargon, shoe parts
Flip-Flops
A type of sandal, usually a thong, with a lightweight foam outsole that makes a "flip-flop" sound when you walk. Also known as jandals.
Category: casual shoes, sandals, shoe styles
Flow Moulding
Flow moulding is a process that uses a mould cast from an original model in cold curing silicone rubber. Reproduction is achieved by pressing PVC upper material against the mould in a special press where it is subjected to high-frequency, high-voltage electric current which momentarily fuses the PVC by molecular excitation. This process enables complex designs in leather uppers to be copied in PVC very cheaply.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Folded Edge
The edge of a skived upper which has been turned over to give a neat finish.
Category: shoe parts, shoemaking
Folding
Also known as: Beading
The most usual word for an upper edge treatment where a narrow margin of the edge is folded over, skived and secured with adhesive.
Category: fastenings, shoemaking
Folding Skive
A skive done to facilitate folding or turning-in of an edge of upper leather. This is usually applied on twice the width of the fold, plus about one millimeter to cover the thickness of the material.
Category: shoemaking
Foot Bed
The part of the sole that your foot lies directly upon. Ideally, it is removable, comfortable, and contoured to provide moderate cushioning.
Category: shoe parts
Foot Form
A last or shoe that is made in close conformity to the natural outline of the foot.
Category: lasting, shoe styles
Foot Hold
A low rubber, overshoe that has no heel and is adjusted by a light strap passing around the back of the foot.
Category: shoe styles
Football Boots
Also known as: Soccer Boots
Boots made of thick unlined leather which is either machine sewn or riveted. Football boots have no heels and studs (cleats) are arranged in various patterns on the soles to give the wearer a firm grip on a grass field.
Category: athletic shoes, boots, shoe styles
Footwear Components
Any fabricated or semi-fabricated component made from various kinds of materials or combination of materials such as leather, canvas, textiles, wood and synthetics for use in the manufacture of footwear.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Forme
A flattened pattern representing as nearly as practicable the shape of a contoured last, from which upper shoe component shapes are derived.
Category: shoemaking
Foxing
A thin strip of rubber that overlaps and attaches a shoe's upper to the outer sole. A strip of leather can also be used.
Category: fastenings, shoemaking
French Binding
A method of finishing the top-line of a shoe by binding it with tape of a fabric or plastic material.
Category: shoe parts, shoemaking
French Foot
Refers to footwear made with a single seam in the center of the sole.
Category: shoe styles, shoemaking
French Heels
Also known as: Louis Heels, Curved Heels & Pompadour Heels
Womens high heel shoes that incorporate shaped heels, usually curved in at the back side, with a breasted forepart.
Category: dress shoes, heels, shoe styles
Fudge Edge
An edge stitched very close to the upper and trimmed closed.
Category: fastenings, shoemaking
Fudge Wheel
A rolling wheel, fixed between two clamps which is used to mark an impression on the edge of shoe soles as decoration.
Category: shoemaking, tools
Full Cup Sole
A running shoe sole that is made using the same construction technique as a half cup sole except that the side wall extends the full length of the medial side. A full cup sole is slightly heavier and less flexible than a half cup sole but provides better support or pronation irregularities during a runners foot strike.
Category: heels, running, shoe parts
Full Grain Leather
Leather that shows a natural texture or "grain". The entire thickness of the hide is used, unlike suede, top grain or nubuck. Benefits are: waterproofing in outermost layer of the hide, and strength and durability in the lower layer.
Full Sock
A piece of leather or fabric pasted or fitted to the insole of a shoe to cover any grinding and stitching inside the shoe.
Category: shoe parts
Full Vamp
A vamp that extends forward the full length of the shoe and is lasted under instead of being cut off and sewn to the tip on the under-side.
Category: shoe parts
