Footwear durability is an important factor affecting the performance, comfort and safety of footwear products. Footwear durability refers to the ability of footwear to withstand wear and tear such as abrasion, stretching, tearing and cracking under different conditions and environments. Footwear durability testing is a process that evaluates how well shoes can resist such damage and how long they can last.
Footwear manufacturers carry out various processes for shoe durability testing depending on the type, purpose and design of the shoe. Some of the common processes include:
Footwear flex durability testing
This process measures how well the shoes can withstand repeated bending and twisting movements without breaking or cracking. Flexing durability testing can be performed on whole shoes or on specific parts such as uppers, soles or toe caps. There are different methods and apparatus for flexing durability testing, such as the ISO 24266:2020 standard, which specifies two test methods for determining the flexing durability of whole footwear using a machine that simulates walking movements.
Footwear abrasion resistance test
This process assesses how well the footwear can withstand surface abrasion caused by rubbing or scraping against other materials or surfaces. Abrasion resistance testing can be performed on various parts of the shoe, such as the upper, lining, insole or outsole. There are different methods and apparatus for abrasion resistance testing, such as the SATRA TM174 test method, which measures the abrasion resistance of outsole materials using a rotating drum covered with abrasive paper.
Shoe tear strength test
This process assesses how well footwear can resist tearing or splitting when subjected to a force that separates them. Tear strength testing can be performed on different materials used in footwear, such as leather, textiles or synthetic fabrics. There are different methods and apparatus for tear strength testing, such as the ASTM D2261 test method, which measures the tear strength of fabrics using a single tearing (tongue) procedure.
Chemical analysis of footwear
This process detects and quantifies the presence of restricted substances in footwear that may pose a health or environmental risk. Chemical analysis can be performed on various materials and components used in footwear, such as dyes, adhesives, metals or plastics. There are different methods and apparatus for chemical analysis, such as the Intertek REACH SVHC screening service, which identifies substances of very high concern (SVHC) in footwear products using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.
These are some of the processes that footwear manufacturers carry out for footwear durability testing. By carrying out these processes, footwear manufacturers can ensure that their products meet quality and safety standards and the expectations of their customers and regulators. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
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