materials
Abrasives
These are materials like carborundum, emery paper or cloth and red flint used for buffing and/or scouring soles, heels and other parts of footwear during the manufacturing process.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Acrylonitrile
Acrylonitrile is a tough rigid plastic commonly used in the manufacture of plastic shoe heels.
Category: heels, materials, shoemaking
Action Leather
Action leather is split grain leather that has been coated with Polyurethane and has the appearance of full grain leather.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a term used in shoemaking to refer to a solvent used for cleaning made with an alcohol base.
Category: jargon, materials, shoe parts
Alligator Skin
Leather made from an alligator's skin. Often embossed leather is designed to look like alligator skin.
Aniline Calf Uppers
Also known as: Aniline Leather
Very high quality chrome tanned calf skin is used for finished calf-upper leathers. The finish is completely transparent and shows the unique detail of the calf leather grain. Only the best blemish-free skins can be used.
Category: leather, materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Backer
Fabric material laminated or used to give reinforcement to weak material to give it strength and to help it stand up.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Beeswax
Beeswax is prepared from the honey-comb of a beehive. Beeswax is an ingredient commonly added to shoe polishes and is also used in hand finishing leather shoe soles.
Category: materials
Bend
Sole leather made from the rear portion of a heavy cattle hide divided along the line of the backbone, after the removal of belly hide and shoulder hide.
Benzene-Benzol
Benzene-benzol is a solvent obtained from coal tar and is a good solvent for grease and rubber. Benzene-benzol is used for making rubber solution and is also used for cleaning shoe uppers. As benzene-benzol is toxic and highly flammable, ventilation in the working area is vitally important.
Category: materials
Benzine
Benzine is a solvent extracted for crude oil during the mineral oil refining process. Benzine is used for shoemaking cleaning purposes and preparing rubber solution. As benzine is less toxic than benzene but also highly flammable, ventilation of the working area very important.
Category: materials
Boarding
Boarding is the term which describes the process of stamping a surface finish on leather to give the impression of a different grain to the natural one. Boarding is commonly used on side leather and split leather to make them resemble calf leather or even kid leather.
Category: leather, materials, shoemaking
Bottom Filler
The material -normally cork sheet, leather board or leather- used to fill up the cavity formed by the lasted over margin of the upper and insole.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Brocade
A type of fabric, often with embroidered or embroidered-style elaborate designs, popular with Asian influenced looks.
Category: materials
Calf Leather
The skin of very young cattle which offers fine grain, suppleness and exceptional durability. A versatile leather that can be used for virtually every type of shoe.
Calfskin
Leather made from the skin of young cattle. Soft, pliable, light and with few surface flaws. Among the highest quality of all leathers.
Cambrelle
A durable, breathable, synthetic material that helps wick away moisture and provides added warmth to footwear.
Category: materials
Cape Leather
A very soft leather often used for comfort shoes. It is also used for gloves, and is often referred to as glove leather.
Carbon Rubber
Rubber which has a high carbon content. Carbon rubber outsoles provide excellent durability but generally are heavier, less flexible and less cushioned than blown rubber outsoles.
Category: materials
Carnauba
Carnauba is a hard wax coating material made from the leaves of certain Brazilian palm trees. Carnauba is an expensive material used as a component of high-grade shoe polishes and creams enabling them to produce a lasting high gloss shine on leather shoes.
Cellulose Board
An excellent insole material made from alpha cellulose of the highest quality with a polymeric blend.
Category: materials
Cement
A general term for adhesive solvents in the footwear industry. The application of cement on roughened portions of footwear during manufacture is known as cementing.
Category: materials
Clarino
Clarino is a poromeric shoe upper material made by Kuraray Co. in Japan. Clarino has a synthetic fibre base layer, a microcellular polyurethane layer and a finish coat simulating the grain of leather.
Category: materials
Cobbler
An old word for someone who makes shoes and also a rich shine leather, which requires little polishing.
Category: leather, materials, shoemaking
Compression Molded Ethylene Vinyl Acetate
Abbreviation: CM-EVA
An artificial compound used in footwear midsoles as cushioning.
Category: materials
Consumables
A term applied to articles which are incidental or accessory to the manufacturer of shoes such as laces, polishes, creams, cements, waxes, buckles, heel plates, shoe brushes, insoles etc. Also called findings.
Category: materials
Cordovan
Cordovan is a leather used for some men's high-grade shoe uppers. Cordovan is tanned from the shell of a horse butt, a kidney shaped very compact layer isolated by removing the skin layer above and the flesh layer below.
Corfam
Corfam is a synthetic upper material which reproduces most of the properties of leather.
Category: materials
Corrected Grain Leather
Leather from which the outer surface of grain has been removed more or less by lightly sanding it with an emery wheel and upon which a new surface has been built up by various finishes.
Crepe Rubber
Natural rubber soling material made by drying latex from the rubber tree. Very hard wearing and flexible, but slips on wet surfaces. Small pieces are used during finishing to remove marks on upper leather.
Croc Embossed Leather
Leather that has been embossed or stamped in a pattern simulating crocodile skin.
Crocodile Skin
Leather made from a crocodile's skin. Often times embossed leather is designed to look like crocodile skin.
Curried Leather
Curried leather is leather that is finished by impregnating it with oil or grease to render it waterproof. Curried leather is used for agricultural footwear and other heavy footwear worn in very wet conditions.
Diamante
Diamante is a type of imitation diamond. It is available in strips in a matrix format that is used for shoe trim.
Category: materials
Diamante Patent Leather
Diamante patent leather is a coloured translucent patent leather that allows the leather grain to show through the finish and adds a sparkling effect.
Distressed Leather
Leather that has been rubbed, scratched, or treated for a stylish effect.
Dri-lex ®
A dual layered configuration composed of Hydrofil, a moisture absorbing nylon fiber as an underlayer, and a moisture resisting outer layer knitted together.
Elastic Gore
An elastic fabric panel inserted into shoes to provide stretch.
Category: materials, shoe parts
Elastomer
Refers to any material that has elastic properties. The ability to stretch or change shape and then return to its original shape and size without any damage to its atomic structure.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate
Abbreviation: EVA
A chemical compound with rubber properties appropriate for making shoe soles in it's blown or micro cellular form. A shock-absorbing material that is lighter than polyurethane.
Category: materials
Ethylene-Propylene Rubber
Ethylene-propylene rubber is a synthetic rubber made by the polymerization of approximately equal proportions of the two gases ethylene and propylene.
Category: materials
Faux Leather
Simulated non-animal leather-like material, usually polyurethane.
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
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
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
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
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.
Gelactiv ™
Dynamic gel technology that provides a unique shock absorber for feet.
Glace Kid Leather
Also known as: Glazed Kid Leather
Leather with a high gloss finish that is made from goatskin by chrome tanning. Used for making upper end shoes.
Gore-Tex®
W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. registered brand name for a waterproof-breathable membrane. The material is impermeable to water droplets but allows water vapor to pass through it. In footwear it is used between the upper material and the lining.
Grindery
The trade name for consumables such as tacks, eyelets, tapes, shanks etc., used in shoemaking.
Category: jargon, materials, shoemaking
Grits
The roughness of the surface of abrasive materials like sand paper. The grit number on the paper correlates to the number of grains per inch. So the lower the grit number, the rougher the sand paper.
Category: materials
Hot Melts
Thermoplastic adhesive of polyamide or polyester. Polyamide and polyester hot melts are generally used during the lasting process.
Category: materials
Houndstooth Check
A type of pattern used to make material with a diagonal "tooth" checked design.
Category: materials
Imitation Leather
Any man-made material designed to look and feel like leather.
Injection Molded EVA
The process of injecting ethylene vinyl acetate foam into molds to make it a bit more uniform and durable, but the process is difficult to control as EVA continues to expand after the injecting process.
Category: materials
Interlaced Leather
A sheet made by interlacing strips of leather. Interlaced leather is used for making the whole or part of an upper of a piece of footwear.
Jelly
A type of soft rubbery material, often transparent or translucent that is used as a filler in heels and soles to provide cushioning.
Category: materials
Kid Leather
The skin of young goats, which offers fine grain and suppleness, predominantly used for casual and lightweight shoes.
Kidskin
Leather made from young goats or 'kids' hide. Kidskin is very soft.
Lacquers
Any of various clear or colored synthetic coatings made by dissolving nitrocellulose or other cellulose derivatives together with plasticizers and pigments in a mixture of volatile solvents and used to impart a high gloss to surfaces. These are commonly used on dress shoes.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Lambskin
Leather used in shoe manufacturing made from a young sheep's or lamb's skin.
Latex
The milky emulsion of rubber particles exuded from the bark of the rubber tree. Used for making natural crepe rubber and adhesives and skin tight clothing and footwear.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Leather Board
Sheet material made by shredding pieces of scrap leather, suspending it in water together with a small percentage of rubber or synthetic binding material
Category: leather, materials, shoemaking
Lining
Material applied inside a shoe over the quarters and vamps to enhance comfort and durability.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Linings
In quality shoes the quarters and vamps are lined with a soft material or leather to enhance comfort and durability.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Lizardskin
Leather made from a lizard’s skin that is used to make or decorate shoes.
Category: leather, materials, shoemaking
Lucite
A type of clear hard plastic that is often used in dress shoes.
Category: dress shoes, jargon, materials
Lycra/Neoprene
A blend of stretch fabric and neoprene rubber, ideal for a waterproof and sporty soft lining.
Mesh
A Woven nylon used in upper construction. Mesh has excellent breath-ability. Any fabric, knitted or woven, with an open construction.
Category: materials, shoe parts
Metallised Leather
Metallised leather is leather that has been given a lustre finish by the application of metallic powders or foils.
Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Abbreviation: MEK
A solvent used for wiping the surface of PVC soles to remove plasticiser residue.
Category: materials
Micro Porous Rubber
Abbreviation: MPR
Rubber with a cellular structure. The cells are filled with air and provide support and cushioning. Generally firmer, more durable and slightly heavier than both EVA and PU.
Category: materials
Micro-Cellular Rubber
A foam rubber material usually of high density containing very small cells. The sizes of the cells have not been quantified. This type of foam/rubber can be made from materials such as urethanes, polypropylene, thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic olefins, and polyvinyl chloride. It is used in shoe linings and soles, automotive bumpers and springs, and in gasketing.
Category: materials
Nap
The term used to describe a velvety surface of leather or cloth. In leather the nap is created by buffing with sandpaper.
Nappa Leather
Skins, normally from lambs, which are remarkably soft and supple; primarily used for shoes where comfort is the key.
Neoprene
Neoprene is the trade name used by Du Pont for the synthetic rubber, polychloroprene developed in their laboratories in 1931. Neoprene is widely used as an adhesive in shoemaking and in soling compositions.
Category: materials
Non Woven Fabric
Also known as: Stiffening material
Sheet material made from fibres bonded together. Non woven fabric is not woven in any way and is commonly used as a reinforcement for shoe uppers.
Category: materials, shoe parts
Non Woven Insole Material
A material used for making insoles made from synthetic fibres that are bonded together with a small proportion of synthetic rubber allowing custom shaping of the insoles that is not possible to achieve with woven materials.
Category: materials
Non-woven synthetic
Non-woven materials are flat flexible porous sheet structures that are produced by interlocking layers of fibers, filaments, or film-like filamentary structures.
Category: materials
Nubuck Leather
Nubuck is a grain leather that has been slightly brushed on the surface to create a very fine velvet-like appearance. A superior brushing technique than that which is used for suede, the texture of Nubuck is finer than suede because the natural grain pattern is left intact.
Nylon Tape
A thin strip of synthetic material used for reinforcing joins and points of weakness in footwear, particularly strap joins and top lines.
Category: materials, shoe parts
Oil-Tanned Nubuc
Oil-tanned nubuc is nubuc leather that has been tanned with an oil process to create a mottled, distressed appearance. Most oil-tanned nubuc leathers have minor surface imperfections or finish variations for a casual style.
P2E
A thin corrugated metal plate used in golf shoes that eliminates uncomfortable spike pressure by distributing it throughout the entire outsole providing more comfort and improved performance.
Category: athletic shoes, materials, shoe parts
Padding
A thin, cushion-like mass of soft material used to fill, to give shape or to protect against jarring, scraping, or other injury.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Patent Leather
Fine grain leather which is specially treated with polyurethane to create an exceptionally gloss finish, especially suitable for evening wear. Patent leather can also be used in conjunction with other leather to produce eye catching results.
Category: dress shoes, leather, materials
Pearlised Leather
Pearlised leather is leather that is finished to give it a lustrous appearance similar to the appearance of a pearl.
Pebbled Grain Leather
Leather embossed to resemble a bumpy or "pebbled" surface.
Petrol Patent Leather
Petrol patent leather is black patent leather which has been finished to give a subtle multi-coloured, prismatic effect resembling petrol spilt onto a wet surface.
Plasticiser
A chemical component included in PVC to make it flexible for use in soling. Cheap quality plasticisers have an oily character. They tend to migrate, which causes adhesion problems and changes in the character of the soling.
Category: materials, shoemaking
Polyethelene
Abbreviation: PE
A synthetic polymer, composed of many ethylene monomer building blocks, used in shoemaking to produce midsoles and heel counters.
Category: materials
Polymer
The simplest definition of a Polymer is something made of many units. Many common classes of Polymers are composed of hydrocarbons. Polymers have many inherent properties that can be enhanced by a wide range of additives to broaden their use and application.
Category: materials
Polyurethane
Abbreviation: PU
A type of man-made material that can be made to have the look and feel of leather. Synthetic soling material. It is flexible soft and light weight.
Category: materials
Polyurethane Upper Material
A thin sheet of expanded Polyurethane attached to a fabric backing material. polyurethane upper material is commonly used in women's shoes and it has the appearance and feel of leather.
Category: materials
Polyvinyl Chloride
Abbreviation: PVC
A synthetic plastic material widely used for soling and coating upper materials.
Category: materials
Porvair
Porvair is a synthetic upper material made of microcellular polyurethane with no fibrous base layer. It has a finish coat simulating the grain of leather. A thin layer of Porvair is used by tanners in combination with leather splits to make a tough breathable upper material.
PVC Coated Fabric
A material used for upper manufacture made from polyvinyl chloride moulded over a fabric backing material.
Category: materials
Python Leather
Leather made from a large snake known as a python which bears a distinctive and attractive marking that shows through after drying. Python leather is used for making shoes, or more commonly on account of its high cost, for insets and trims. As the size of the scales and the markings vary across the skin, care must be taken in clicking to match the pieces used. Python leather, in common with most other reptiles leather, tears easily, and should therefore be backed.
Reinforcement Tape
Reinforcement tape is used for strengthening lines and points of weakness, particularly straps and top lines in footwear. Most reinforcement tapes are made of nylon or other non stretchable fabric.
Category: fastenings, materials, shoe parts
Resin
Resin is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and are formed by the oxidation of essential oils. Resin is valued for its chemical constituents and uses such as footwear varnishes and shoe adhesives.
Category: materials
Resin Rubber
Abbreviation: SBR
A synthetic rubber soling material that has a superficial resemblance to leather in appearance, finish and feel. Resin rubber is a copolymer of styrene and butadiene.
Category: materials
Scotch Grain Leather
The embossing of leather to create a heavy, pebbled look.
Shearling
Lambskin or sheepskin with its wool still attached, often for warmth and decoration. Shearling is popular for coats and boots.
Sheepskin
Leather made from sheep. Sheepskin with the wool still attached is known as shearling.
Solvents
A general term applied to chemicals such as acetone, spirits, MEK, Industrial methylated spirit and many others.
Category: materials
Spandex/Neoprene
A combination of stretchy Spandex fabric and soft neoprene rubber, a soft and waterproof material usually used as a lining.
Split Leather
When thick cattle hides are machine split to obtain two layers of leather, the bottom layer is referred to as the split layer. Generally thinner & lighter in weight, split leather is used to make lower-priced shoes or linings.
Stiffener
Also known as: Stiffening
A material usually made of leather board or fibreboard that is placed between the lining and upper material at the back of the shoe to improve shape retention of the quarters.
Category: materials, shoe parts
Suede Leather
Leather that has been sanded or roughed to produce a surface with a soft texture or "nap". Leathers in which the fibres on the flesh side are cut very short by means of buffing wheels so as to prevent a velvety appearance.
Sueded Fabric
Fabric that has been given a soft nap to simulate the feel of suede leather.
Category: materials
Synthetic
Relating to, involving, or of the nature of Synthesis. Synthesis is the combining of separate elements or substances to form a coherent whole.
Synthetic Leather
Materials other than genuine leather, which are designed to look or function like leather.
Tanned Leather
Tanning is the process of conversion of putrescible skin into non putrescible leather. Putrefaction is the decomposition of animal proteins, especially by anaerobic microorganisms. Material that is subject to putrefaction is putrescible. Leather thus formed is called Tanned leather.
Texon ®
A cellulose-based insole material that is more resistant to aging and dampness than leather insoles.
Thermoplastic Rubber
Abbreviation: TPR
A synthetic rubber related to resin-rubber or a blend of petroleum based synthetics that produce rubber-like qualities but which, unlike rubber, can be fused by heat and processed into soles by injection moulding.
Category: materials
Twill Fabric
A woven fabric material characterized by a smooth surface and durable wear.
Category: materials
Upper Leather
Leather for making uppers of shoes and boots usually manufactured from calfskin, goatskin, cattlehide etc.
Vegetable Tanned Leather
Leather that has been tanned with vegetable materials that are derived from certain plants and woods, often called "bark" tanning. This tanning process ensures that the leather won't stretch out after wear. Vegetable tanned leathers are ideal to produce footwear for those with allergies to chromium or other tanning chemicals.
Vibram®
A type of durable, non-slip, outsole typically found on hiking boots. Vibram is a registered trademark of Vibram S.P.A
Vulcanised Rubber
Raw rubber treated by milling with sulphur and heat to allow the end product to be moulded into very specific outer sole shapes that provide adhesion and waterproofing to the sole and/or toe cap area of a shoe.
Category: materials, shoe parts, toe caps
Water Resistant Leather
Leather resistant to the penetration of water usually chrome tanned or combination tanned first, and then heavily greased. Other water repelling agents may be used during production to produce the same effect.
Waxes
Any of various natural, oily or greasy heat-sensitive substances, consisting of hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that are insoluble in water but soluble in non polar organic solvents.
Category: materials
Zug Grain Leather
Leather that is produced using a method that makes it both water resistant and hard-wearing.
