Objective
Identification of critical factors with respect to service performance
Critical factors which influence the abrasion resistance of leather have been identified, relating to the fibre structure, physical characteristics, chemical composition and degree of tanning. A new parameter has been derived from chemical analysis and found to correlate with abrasion. Factors which affect water resistance relate to chemical composition and the nature of supplementary treatments.
Development of improved service prediction techniques and associated knowledge base
One type of abrasion test has been found to be most effective for assessing sole leather, and improvements in procedures have been made which improve the validity of the results and reduce the testing time. The modified test has been shown to distinguish between leathers, which became holed or thin in wear and leathers which performed well. A new sampling scheme has been developed and validated which, using a minimum number of test pieces, satisfactorily characterises a bend of leather and its inherent variability. Tests according to the protocol are more informative than those using existing international procedures. Two commonly used test methods for water resistance have been improved and validated and found to be acceptable.
Production of prototype sole leather samples
Using the knowledge of critical factors and the improved test techniques, chemical suppliers and tanners have worked to produce leathers meeting target performance levels set by the Steering Committee. Each tanner has used his own approach to modifying the tanning process to improve abrasion resistance. In the main, post-tanning treatments have proved most effective in improving water resistance. Over 50 leather samples have been evaluated, these were either prototypes produced by tannery processes or materials prepared in laboratory or pilot scale equipment.
Leathers from each source giving the best balance of properties were selected for evaluation in service trials.
In an attempt to improve the performance of sole leather still further, work has been carried out on incorporating polymeric material into the structure. A material stable under tanning conditions has been identified, impregnation conditions developed and trial samples produced. However, further work beyond the end of the project is necessary to develop and optimise the process.
Optimisation of shoemaking procedures and footwear design
Features of the shoe bottom which minimise the rate of wear of the sole have been identified.
A technique using a membrane to prevent water ingress have been shown to be effective in trials.
Confirmation of service requirements and service performance of prototype sole leathers and footwear innovations
Eight leathers from tanner partners were selected for evaluation in service trials. Each shoemaker prepared shoes from prototype leathers and also from the leather used in their commercial production. Shoes have been worn in cross-matched pairs in service trials. In virtually all pairs of men's shoes the sole of prototype leather wore better than the commercial leather sole, reflecting an overall increase of about 40% in measured abrasion resistance. Results from a trial of women's shoes were less clear due to limited wear, but the advantage lay with the prototype leathers.
Leather is the traditional footwear sole material but since the 1950s has faced progressive displacement by polymeric solings based on rubbers, thermoplastics such as PVC, and polyurethanes. These offer the consumer better durability, water resistance and lightness, such that leather soles have become largely confined to higher priced footwear especially the 'welted' type. However, during the past decade leather soling has become increasingly used in medium-priced footwear and at the same time increasing consumer affluence has led to greater willingness to pay a premium for goods perceived to offer traditional quality and aesthetics. These trends mean that wearers previously accustomed to non-leather soles are trying leather, but become dissatisfied with its relatively poor wear and water resistance. If the wear performance can be improved the market potential for leather soled shoes will be greatly increased. The project aims to develop sole leathers for everyday footwear that meet fitness for purpose criteria for abrasion and water resistance by modification to tannage, particularly through optimisation of mechanical actions and temperatures in tanning, selection of the most appropriate tanning materials and use of auxiliary chemical treatments. This will facilitate the production of leather soled footwear with improved service performance meeting realistic consumer expectations, and expand the market for sole leather. Novel methods for predicting abrasion resistance and water resistance of sole leathers in wear will also be developed and these will be used to evaluate the prototype processes and materials studied. The novel assessment techniques will allow realistic performance guidelines for the performance of sole leathers to be established. In addition, design features which optimise the performance of leather soles will be identified.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
NN16 9SN Kettering
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.