Shoe Sole Materials

The outsole is the most basic part of a shoe. The outsole is a protective layer of material between the foot and the ground. The word itself comes from the Latin word solum, which means soil. Outsoles have a wide variety of functional properties such as wear, flexibility, traction, insulation to mention a few. These properties vary in accord with the type of footwear. Most shoes today use a "unit sole" which means the sole and heel are combined into one unit. The unit sole is applied in one operation and reduces the cost of production. There is no one type of outsole that is regarded "best" for all footwear. Below Large Size Shoes for Men will give a brief description of the most widely used outsoles used today.

Leather

Leather is still regarded as the king of sole materials, despite it's limited use. The cost of leather limits it's use to better-grade men's and women's dress shoes.

Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR)

TPR is the most dominant type of sole material used today. TPR soles are light-weight, durable, flexible and slip resistant. TPR soles have very good esthetics and can be made to look like leather. TPR soles are used on casual shoes for men and women, kid's shoes and light-weight work oxfords.

PVC (polyvinylchloride)

At one time PVC was a popular sole material but it has limited esthetics. Because it is very durable, it is used mainly today in work boot construction. Many of the lug type soles we see are made from PVC.

Rubber Compounds

Neoprene, Nitrile and Hypalon are all rubber compounds. They are used mainly in the construction of "sneakers". Again, because of there durability they are sometimes used on work boots.

Crepe

Crepe is a member of the rubber family and can be either natural or man made. It is heavy, loses color and can be hot in warm weather. It's use is limited to some sport and casual shoes.

Composition

This is a term for any mix of materials used to create slab soles that are inexpensive but long wearing. They are used mainly on inexpensive footwear. Usually they will resemble leather in apperance.

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Resource Library
Let us answer your questions about shoe construction.

Shoe Construction	The 7 Basic Shoe Styles
Shoe Upper Materials	Shoe Upper Leather
Shoe Components	The Shoe Last
The Assembly of a Shoe	Shoe Sole Materials

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