| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Antistatic Material | A material designed to conduct electricity. It is used in some safety footwear where there is an electrostatic discharge risk. |
| Backing/Binder | Used to reinforce thinner extruded materials and provide a barrier against heated fusing press plates and a suitable surface for adhesive application. Backers also control stretch. |
| Binding | Tape or leather strip covering raw edges of leather around the top line which holds the outer and lining together, providing a neat, durable finish. |
| CAD | Computer Aided Design - A shoe design prepared on the screen of a computer which can then be modified and patterns produced. Patterns can then be cut on instructions from the computer. Some systems can show 3D pictures of the designs. |
| Californian Last | The upper and platform cover is sewn to an insock. The last is then forced in and the platform attached. The cover is lasted over before the sole is attached. For use in casual, women’s and children’s sandals. It is a variant of the slip lasting construction. |
| CAM | Computer Aided Manufacture - The data created in CAD can be used to control cutting tools, presses, lasers, water jet, or mechanical cutters and an increasing range of other machines. (M.C. milling machines for moulds and lasts, sewing machines, roughing and the new generation of robots). |
| Cap and Counter | Upper design having a separate toe-cap and stiffener cover, often in contrasting colours. |
| Cellulose Insoling | High quality insole material made from alpha cellulose of the highest quality with a polymeric binder. Texon are recognised as the original cellulose insoling experts. |
| Cement Lasted | Method of lasting where the forepart upper is attached to the insole with hot adhesive or Latex instead of tacks. |
| Closing | Stitching together the cut components of the outside and lining of a shoe upper. |
| Coated Fabrics | Fabrics transfer-coated with PU or PVC. |
| Conducted Material | Dissipates static electricity through the material and hot melt adhesives. |
| Co-Polymer | A chemical compound formed by the polymerisation of two different monomers. |
| Counter (Stiffener) | A shaped and molded component, usually of impregnated fabric, film, sandwich or leather board, placed between the lining and upper material at the back of the shoe to improve shape retention of the quarters. Texon has a counter solution for most shoe types. |
| Counter Lining | Portion of lining covering the heel counter. For heel grip, Texon provide an engineered lining material called Aquiline. |
| Court Shoe | Ladies low cut shoe held on the foot by its shape and the stiffener alone. Designed to be worn at court and formal occassions where minimal walking is required. |
| Direct Moulded | A construction method where by the sole, of rubber, PU or other mouldable material is moulded directly onto the upper by vulcanisation, injection moulding or reaction moulding. |
| Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) | Highly resilient synthethic foam which provides good shock absorption. A chemical compound with rubbery properties ideal for midsoles in the blown or micro-cellular form. It is lightweight and its properties can be modified according to the proportions of ethylene and vinyl acetate in the copolymer. Also used as the basis for adhesives. |
| Extrusion Materials | The production of a moulded section (e.g. sheet, rod) by ejecting material (metal, plastic etc) out of a suitably shaped die under heat and pressure. In the case of plastic this is usually referred to as “thermoplastic extrusion”. |
| Eyelet | Hole for lacing, which can be embelished as a fashion feature. |
| Feather or Fine Edge | The boundary line around the upper where the welt or the sole joins. |
| Fibreboard, Shank Board or Tuck Board | Sheet material commonly used for insoling and heel lifts made of cellulose fibre obtained from wood pulp, or from re-processed cardboard, wrapping papers, etc. 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. See also cellulose. |
| Foot Bed | An insert that is shaped or moulded to match the contours of the bottom surfaceof the foot. Such insets are widely used in trainers and sports shoes. |
| Force Lasting | The upper is formed into a bag and the last is forced into it. |
| Forepart | The front part of the shoe or sole, from the waist forwards. |
| Fusing/Fusing Press | A heated press used to bond together components coated with heat activated (hot melt) adhesive. |
| Heat Setting | Providing the upper with more permanent shape retention whilst on the last by applying heat or steam for a short period rather than a longer, strained/strenuous period. |
| Heel Grip | A piece of material which can be stuck to the counter lining of a shoe to reduce size at the heel and prevent foot slipping out of the shoe. Texon Aquiline™ is an excellent material for heel grip. |
| Insole | A light sole conforming to the shape of the bottom of the last to which the upper and the bottom are attached to make the shoe. In most common constructions, therefore, it forms the foundation of the shoe. It is made of leather, leatherboard, Cellulose, Non-woven of fibreboard, and needs to be flexible and able to absorb moisture. In many cases it is covered by an in-sock. Texon are the insoling experts. |
| Ionomer | A class of thermoplastic elastomers in which the molecular structure may be of hydrocarbon type, also containing metallic ions. |
| ISO 9000 | International Standard for Quality Management and Quality Assurance. |
| Lamination | Joining the faces of material together, to provide greater strength. |
| Last | A solid form of wood, plastic or metal form of which a shoe is built, and which imparts its shape to the shoe. The upper consisting of as many as twenty separate pieces, is sewn together then placed on the last. When the sole has been attached the last is removed , and the inside dimensions of the shoe should then conform to those of the last. |
| Lasting | Stretching the upper over the last so that it conforms to the shape of the last, at the same time attaching it to the insole. |
| Latex | The milky emulsion of rubber particles exude from the bark of the rubber tree. It is coagulated to separate the water leaving the natural rubber. Used for making antural crepe rubber and adhesives. When vulcanised it is the rubber widely used for soling, often in combination with synthethic rubber. Synthetic Latex is now common in shoe making materials. |
| Leather | A hide or skin which retains its original fibrous structure , treated in order to avoid rotting even after absorbing water. |
| Leatherboard | Sheet material made by shredding pieces of scrap leather, suspended in water along with the small amout of rubber or synthetic binding material, deposited on a wire mesh or similar support. Used for insoles and counters. |
| Lining Materials | The inner surface of the shoe upper. Lining may be used in the back of the shoe only, or as full linings covering the whole of the shoe interior. Texon Aquiline™ is the ideal lining material. |
| Midsole | The midsole, located between the upper and the outsole of the shoe provides protection from impact forces generated during sports activities. |
| Monomer | A material consisting of single molecules of a chemical compound. Monomer molecules can undergo polymesation to form macromolecules. |
| Non-woven Insole Material | Made from random laid synthetic fibres and bonded with a small proportion of synthetic rubber or other polymeric materials. Texon are experts in insoling solution for footwear. |
| Outsole or Outersole | Represents the first defence against forces resulting from contact with the ground. It contributes to cushioning and shoe stability, provides traction and protects the foot from the ground. |
| Polyester | A type of thermoplastic polymer commonly used in plastics and synthetic fibres. |
| Polymer | A chain or other co-ordination of single molecules of a chemical compound. |
| Polyurethane (PU) | A synthetic soling material. Expanded PU is produced by mixing two chemicals which combine to produce polyurethane foam. As little heat or pressure is involved the moulds are relatively cheap and easy to produce allowing relatively short runs. It is flexible for use in bottom units which are soft and light, wear well and resist slip. There is rigid version which is used for platforms. |
| Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) | A synthetic plastic used for soling and coated uper materials, either dense or micro-cellular in construction. |
| ProtexTM | A unique Texon process which provides 100% fungal protection. |
| Recycled | A finished product or waste generated creating a product which can be reprocessed and reused. |
| Safety Boots & Shoes | Footwear with built-in reinforced toecap designed to prevent crushing damage to the toes. Safety boots may also possess a non-corrodable steel midsole to prevent penetration by nails and other sharp objects. |
| Safety Toe Caps | A protective toe fitted to safety footwear which is usually constructed of steel, aluminum or non-metallic. |
| Setting (Heat setting during lasting) | A process of moistening and then drying by heat. The lasted upper is fixed to the shape of the last in a few minutes and can be removed as soon as the sole is fixed. Synthetic uppers are heat-set without moistening or mulling stage. |
| Shank | A strip of steel, fibre, wood or leather, inserted between the outsole and the insole at the waist to maintain the curvature of the sole and keep the heel from going under. |
| Skiving | A reduction in the thickness of the edge of a component to allow blending with other components. |
| Slip Lasted Strobel (Force lasted or tag lasted) | A simple method of making light casuals, sports-shoes or slippers. The upper is stitched to a sock, which serves as an insole. The last is then forced in, enabling an outsole to be attached. |
| Stiffener (Counter) | See Counter. |
| String Lasting | A type of lasting carried out by means of two strings attached to the inside lower edge of the upper by a zigzag seam on for the forepart and one for the backpart enabling to upper to be gathered and fastened over the insole. |
| TAC | Texon Antistatic Coating - A coating applied to the insole to improve the electrical contact between the insole and the outsole. |
| Thermoplastic | A plastic material that can be repeatedly softened and remoulded by heat, whilst retaining its moulded form in ambient tempreatures. |
| Toe Puff (Box Toe) or Box Toe Puff | A material inserted between the outer and the lining at the toe to help maintain shape. Normally made by extrusion but can also be impregnated for a firmer toe. Texon provides a complete range of box toe puff products. |
| Upper | The part of the shoe which provides a protective wrap for the upper surface of the foot. It can be made from a variety of materials such as leather, plastics or breathable fabrics. |
| Vamp | The part of the upper between the toecap and the quarters, including the toe in the case of capless styles. |
| Veldschoen | Construction in which the lasted upper is turned outwards by flanging and stitched directly to the sole. Desert boots are a good example of this comfortable construction. |
| Welt | A strip of leather running around the feather of the shoe. Shoes made by the welted construction can be easily resoled by removing the sole and restitchinga fresh one as long as the welt lasts. A welt should not be confused with a rand, which looks the same but is merely decorative or a mid-sole which has the same appearance but is not so flexible. |
| Welted Footwear | A traditional method of producing footwear. The sole is stitched to a welt which is also stitched to the upper. It is one of the more complex constructions which are used for high quality footwear. |
