Footwear Industry Research Articles

Deconvolutional Neural Network for Generating Spray Trajectory of Shoe Soles

The footwear industry is moving towards automation and intellectualization. To overcome the drawbacks of the high-cost and low-efficiency traditional manual shoe sole gluing process, automatic methods were utilized for generating spray trajectories. Currently, most of the reported automatic methods for generating spray trajectories mainly rely on the outer contour bias method. However, the glue is only applied to the area near the edge/contour of shoe soles and the fixed offset distance in the outer contour bias method cannot adapt to the immense amount of shoe styles with high precision and achieve applicability for irregular and unique sole designs. An intuitive yet logical approach to fulfill the requirements is to utilize the deconvolutional neural network for generating shoe sole spray trajectories. In this work, we treated the glue trajectory prediction as an image-to-image prediction and established a novel deconvolutional neural network to generate shoe sole spray trajectories. The as-proposed deconvolutional neural network for generating spray trajectory offered significant advantages over the existing bias-based methods, including: (1) based on the novel deconvolutional neural network, the proposed method for generating shoe sole spray trajectories exhibits greater applicability to irregular shoe soles, which improves the spray accuracy without compromising the spray efficiency; (2) we discard all the pooling layers, which only consist of convolutional and deconvolutional layers, to preserve more spatial information and achieve higher spray accuracy through end-to-end mapping from shoe sole images to shoe sole spray trajectories, resulting in an improved spray accuracy without sacrificing spray efficiency. The Dice similarity coefficient and Hausdorff distance were used as the evaluation metrics to assess the performance of our approach. Our proposed method showed an ultra-high accuracy and precision with a Dice similarity coefficient over 99.25% and a Hausdorff distance less than 1.2 mm, which are ~10% higher than the spray accuracy of other reported traditional methods. Our findings would bring significant improvements to the field of automatic shoe sole spray trajectory generation, which has the potential to promote the utilization of intelligent technologies in the footwear industry.

A Study on Consumer Behavior and its Impact on Brand Perception and Purchase of Red Tape India Products

Intense competition has been observed within the footwear industry, involving multinational corporations, domestic enterprises, and local businesses. Comprehending the requirements and preferences of consumers is a critical factor, as it serves as an indicator of their potential purchase behavior. This study presents a conceptualized investigation into the impact of various constructs, namely Brand Experience, Convenience, Store Atmosphere, Perceived Risk, and Store Satisfaction, on customers' purchase intention towards Red Tape. The study employs the Stimulus- Organism-Response (SOR) framework to analyze these relationships. The aforementioned constructs were subsequently refined subsequent to our examination of customer reviews on social media platforms such as Twitter, as well as e-commerce websites like Amazon, and online review platforms such as Google Reviews. These reviews pertained to RedTape, its products, and its stores located in the Zirakpur region of Punjab. A word cloud was created in order to narrow down the potential constructs. The data collection process involved the utilization of a convenience random sampling technique, whereby a sample size of 200 respondents was selected. These respondents were chosen from various local locations, representing diverse classes. The data analysis and interpretation involved the utilization of parametric tests such as Factor Analysis and Regression, which were conducted using the Measurable Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study contribute to the identification of key variables that warrant increased consideration when formulating strategies pertaining to customers' purchasing intentions. Keywords — Consumer behavior, Brand Experience, Satisfaction, Perception, Red Tape, Footwear,

Biodegradable and flexible fiber‐reinforced composite sheet from tannery solid wastes: An approach of waste minimization

AbstractThe rising concern towards environmental issues and non‐recyclable solid wastes preservation needs has led to the development of high‐performance biodegradable composite materials with new functionalities. In this regard, the current study focused on fabricating flexible and biodegradable composite sheets by utilizing waste buffing dust (BD) and sugarcane fiber (SF). Flexible composite sheets were fabricated using simple solution casting method with different mixing ratios of BD and SF. Wide range of characterizations like ultraviolet‐vis spectroscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, tensile tests, x‐ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, oxygen gas transmittance rate, and soil burial tests were conducted to comprehensively evaluate their performance. The obtained results were highly promising which reveals strong bonding between BD and SF along with a uniform surface quality. Particularly, the enhancement in various key characteristics was observed for composite sheets compared to pure BD sheets. The composite sheets with the optimal content of natural rubber latex demonstrated a significant increase in tensile strength, elongation, hardness, and density by 61%, 42%, 37%, and 44%, respectively. Additionally, the composite sheet has witnessed significant improvements with an increase by 36% in gas barrier property and an enhancement of 39% in biodegradability. These findings highlight the potential of these composite sheets as a versatile material suitable for a wide range of applications which includes packaging, interior furnishing industries, and reinforcing elements in the footwear industry. Numerous advantages like simplicity, cost‐effectiveness, and flexibility of these composite sheets offer an environmentally friendly alternative that is capable of reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices.Highlights Fabricated composite sheets from waste BD and SF. Strong bonding and uniform surface quality observed. Improved thermal stability, gas barrier, and biodegradability. Enhancements in tensile strength, elongation, hardness, and density. Versatile eco‐friendly material for packaging and furnishings.

On sustainable design and manufacturing for the footwear industry – Towards circular manufacturing

The global fashion industry is facing carbon footprint issues, but technological innovations are helping to improve its performance and environmental efficiency in terms of footwear manufacturing. This paper explores how Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), Design for Assembly (DfA), and Design for Disassembly (DfD) strategies, along with Additive Manufacturing's (AM) capability to produce intricate parts, can contribute to the fashion industry's shift towards a Circular Manufacturing model. The focus is on footwear manufacturing and its carbon footprint issues. The proposed additively manufactured shoe design utilizes Polyamide 12 and Thermoplastic polyurethane as feedstock, featuring a glueless mechanical assembly system based on a snapfit. Notably, the upper part of the shoe incorporates a variable lattice structure to ensure flexibility in different areas. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) demonstrates that the snapfit assembly exceeds the industry standard's minimum disassembly force requirement. Additionally, an optimization algorithm for the variable lattice structure results in a 34% mass reduction while maintaining the desired Young's modulus in each shoe zone. This design approach aligns with the footwear industry's sustainability goals, aiming to reduce environmental impact and enhance product durability. The study successfully developed a strategy to implement AM for sustainable shoe fabrication.

Supply Chain Agility and Supply Base Complexity: A Longitudinal Study in the Footwear Industry

Supply Chain Agility and Supply Base Complexity: A Longitudinal Study in the Footwear Industry

Polymeric Biocomposite Based on Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and Protein and Elastomeric Waste Mixture.

Polymeric biocomposites based on TPU/recycled TPUW/mixed leather and SBR rubber waste unmodified/modified with polydimethylsiloxane/PE-g-MA in different percentages were made via the mixing technique on a Plasti-Corder Brabender mixer with an internal capacity of 350 cm3. The waste, which came from the shoe industry, was cryogenically ground with the help of a cryogenic cyclone mill at micrometric sizes and different speeds. For the tests, standard plates of 150 × 150 × 2 mm were obtained in a laboratory-scale hydraulic press via the method of compression between its plates, with well-established parameters. The biocomposites were tested physico-mechanically and rheologically (MFI) according to the standards in force on polymer-specific equipment, also via FT-IR spectroscopy and microscopy, as well as via differential scanning calorimetry-DSC. Following the tests carried out, according to the standard for use in the footwear industry, at least two samples present optimal values (of interest) suitable for use in the footwear industry by injection or pressing in forming moulds.

Footwear as product‐service systems: Toward sustainable alternative consumption scenarios

AbstractThe existing footwear ecosystem is not environmentally friendly and thus poses a threat to sustainability. In this article, our objective is to take a product‐service systems approach to propose alternative footwear consumption scenarios from a sustainability viewpoint and investigate the perspective of Indian consumers toward the proposed scenarios. To this end, we initially conducted a comprehensive literature review to explore alternative consumption scenarios in the realm of fashion products. This step led to the development of 10 alternative footwear consumption scenarios that focus on maintenance and repair, takeback, assembly, customization, personalization, advice and consultancy, rent, sequential share, swap, and functionality. Next, we adopted the focus group interview methodology to investigate the perception of Indian consumers toward the 10 alternative footwear consumption scenarios, which can inform the footwear industry's product development, marketing strategies, and sustainability initiatives. Our results indicate that while the participants found the consumption scenarios to be interesting and practical, they feel that the proposed scenarios may prove to be more feasible for comparatively expensive footwear products because of the associated logistics costs. Furthermore, the participants pointed out a few cultural as well as hygiene‐related issues that may hinder the adoption of certain alternative footwear consumption scenarios.

Upcycling of textile and footwear wastes for synergistical reinforcement of cement mortar

The utilization of waste polymeric materials from textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry as aggregates in the cement is a valuable approach to reduce plastic pollution. However, the low modulus of polymers and poor interfacial interactions with the cement deteriorate their applications. Herein, we report an upcycling strategy for the recovery of waste fabrics and footwear sole materials from TCF industry as cement mortar reinforcement. The exfoliation of fabrics and pulverization of footwear soles enable them to expose the reactive groups which can absorb Ca2+ dissolved in water, thus helping the formation of C–H–S gel at the organic–inorganic interfacial transition zones between polymers and cement. It was determined by laser confocal Raman spectra. Hence, the exfoliated polyester fibers can prevent the crack expansion of cement and the devulcanized sole elastomers can dissipate energy while subjected to the external force, synergistically enhancing the mechanical properties. The flexural and compressive strengths of cement containing 0.5 wt% PFW and 5 wt% EPW are 48.9% and 59.6% higher than the neat cement. This work suggests a new strategy to realize value-added utilization of waste polymers which are difficult to be classified and separated.

Brazilian Footwear Industry: An Analysis of the Sustainable Practices of Certified Companies by the Sustainable Origin Seal

Objetivo: Analisar as ações da indústria calçadista brasileira voltadas para a introdução de inovações com ênfase na sustentabilidade. Referencial Teórico: As categorias apresentadas no estudo abordaram a evolução histórica da sustentabilidade e conceitos relacionados aos Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Método: Adotou-se como lócus da pesquisa as indústrias produtoras de calçados certificadas pelo selo Origem Sustentável. O método de investigação é qualitativo, descritivo, de natureza aplicada. A análise cruzou as informações publicadas nos relatórios de sustentabilidade destas empresas com as dimensões dos objetivos do desenvolvimento sustentável – pessoas, planeta, paz, prosperidade e parceria. Resultados e Conclusão: Verificou-se que algumas estratégias são transversais a todas as dimensões. Na dimensão pessoas, as empresas adotam prioritariamente, ações voltadas para saúde e educação. Na dimensão planeta, as inovações consistem no desenvolvimento de produtos mais sustentáveis, uso de energia limpa, redução no consumo de água nos processos, uso de tecnologia e modelos de gestão fundamentados nos pilares da sustentabilidade. Nas dimensões prosperidade, paz e parceria, as empresas apresentam ações transversais a atividade principal do negócio, com destaque para a adoção de código de ética e gestão transparente na dimensão paz. Implicações da Pesquisa: A pesquisa reforça os estudos anteriores quanto a predominância das práticas sustentáveis voltadas para a gestão dos resíduos sólidos, contudo, é possível perceber novas ações em destaque, como a gestão do uso responsável da água e de energia limpa, além de investimentos em pesquisas e desenvolvimento de produtos a partir de materiais mais sustentáveis. Originalidade: Esses resultados contribuem para os estudos acadêmicos com evidências de mudanças nas práticas da indústria calçadista.

The influence of a company's inherent values on its sustainability: Evidence from a born-sustainable SME in the footwear industry

The influence of a company's inherent values on its sustainability: Evidence from a born-sustainable SME in the footwear industry

Impact of hollow glass microsphere addition to poly(ethylene vinyl) acetate foam on mechanical properties of sports footwear

AbstractSamples of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) co‐polymer foams in form of plates and industrial outsoles of prototyped sport shoes containing 0% (reference), 2.5%, and 5.0 weight % (wt%) of hollow glass microspheres (HGM) were made. The goal was to study the influence of HGM on properties of EVA foam in laboratory conditions followed by the industrial trial, where the most promising laboratory result was applied. The physical properties of samples and behavior of material under dynamic load were examined. EVA foams with HGM filler demonstrated that they have better ability to reduce impact peak force and increase absorb impact impulse compared to the reference foam without HGM. Addition of 5.0 wt% of HGM in laboratory foam increased its absorbed impact pulse by two‐fold. Meanwhile for industrial prototype outsoles, the impact peak force was reduced by 5%–7% in walking simulated conditions and by 11% in case of simulated running. It is also observed that, addition of 5.0 wt% of HGM in EVA foam increased its abrasion resistance by three times, which generally helps to increase the lifetime of sport footwear. Under dynamic load, samples with the addition of HGM behave interestingly and result shows a small decrease in energy return (7%) which is logical, because this composite tends to absorb energy and not return it. Samples with 2.5 wt% HGM are stiffer than reference until 40% compression deformation, but beyond that point it becomes softer, and better absorbs impact energy than reference. Outsole with 2.5% of HGM in EVA outsole increased resistance of shoe at lateral bending of 50% and 20% rise of resistance was found at medial twist. Impact absorption and flexibility resistance are useful for protection against impact which are also helpful to prevent sport injuries. The obtained results show the addition of HGMs which are cheap by‐products in several technologies brings improvement to properties of EVA foams which is the most common materials for the sport footwear industry.

PERAN BUDAYA KERJA DALAM MEMEDIASI PERBAIKAN BERKELANJUTAN DAN INOVASI KERJA TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN

Human resources are an important aspect of business management, through innovative approaches that can improve the economic, technological, social, cultural and corporate environment. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the role of work culture in mediating continuous improvement and work innovation on employee performance in the footwear industry at PT. Changshin Reksa Jaya. As well as the influence of continuous improvement and work innovation into a work culture in improving the performance of footwear industry employees. The research method used in this study is a survey method, while the types of data used in this study are primary data and secondary data. The object of this research is the footwear industry employees of PT. Changshing Reksa Jaya, with a sampling technique using a simple random sampling method. The data analysis technique used is path analysis. The results of this test prove that partially and simultaneously the role of work culture in mediating continuous improvement and work innovation has a significant positive effect on the performance of employees in the footwear industry at PT. Changshijn Reksa Jaya.
 Keywords: Continuous Improvement, Innovation, Culture, Performance

Empirical study on design and development of hand-crafted footwear

With its enormous potential in terms of employment, growth, and exports, the footwear industry is an important player in the Indian context, and can contribute to the nation's economic development. It is worth noting here that leather footwear in Kolhapuri style has a distinguished history spanning hundreds of years. This craft style is a labor-intensive production process in which the primitive nature of the tools and equipment are used. In the present context, this craft style is about to go extinct because of artisans' declining interest. The present study reports an attempt to improve the manufacturing procedure and productivity without changing the fundamental nature of the craft (its actual essence). The study reports on the local craft cluster's efforts to rethink the craft style in terms of technological interventions, skill development, product diversification, commercial opportunities, etc. Further, the study reports the necessity of conducting social workshops on design innovations. The study advocates the revitalization of Kolhapur's identity and the need for acceleration of this dying craft.

Measuring The Competitiveness of Footwear in The Global Market: A Comparison Study of Indonesia and Cambodia

This study aims to compare the competitiveness of Indonesian and Cambodian footwear in the global market. Indonesia’s export value increased over the year, but in 2019 it significantly decreased. The footwear industry has grown negatively since 2019, and during the pandemic, the growth rate is -8.76%. In contrast, since 2019, Cambodia has become the 10th world's footwear exporter. It is undoubtedly a threat to Indonesia, so it is necessary to make various strategies to increase Indonesia's competitiveness. Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and Export Dynamic Product (EPD) methods measure the competitive position. This study uses secondary data in the form of annual export from 2011 to 2020. The results show that Indonesia has a comparative advantage over the world but is moderate, with an RCA value of 3.81. Cambodia has more competitively than Indonesia, with an RCA index of 8.22. Even though in 2020 it experienced negative growth, Indonesia's footwear both comparatively and competitively increased. The RCA index value increases and the EPD is in the best position, "the rising star". Indonesian products have high market attractiveness and market share in the global.

Implementation of efficient surface discretisation algorithms adapted to geometric models specific to the footwear industry

Implementation of efficient surface discretisation algorithms adapted to geometric models specific to the footwear industry

Root Cause Analysis of Color Migration in Footwear

The phenomena of migration and/or bleeding of colorants are one of the major concerns for the footwear and leather goods industries. The migration/bleeding of the colorants from one component to the other has been observed in many cases that spoil the aesthetics of the product, which in turn leads to economic loss for the industries. In this research article, a typical case of color migration in leather footwear has been studied in depth for root-cause analysis of the migration problem. The leather used in the shoe upper (affected due to migration), the lining fabric, and the adhesive used in making the footwear were characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The FTIR-ATR study revealed that the leather was finished with polyurethane-based coating, the lining fabric used was an aromatic polyester and the adhesive was natural rubber-based adhesive. Though the lining fabric was colorfast to rubbing, it released color in all the organic solvents generally used in natural rubber-based adhesive. Migration studies showed that migration of the colorant (black) from the lining material to the leather (white) happened only in the presence of the adhesive. In conclusion, the organic solvent present in the adhesive used in making the footwear was responsible for the color migration from the lining material to the attached leather. Finally, recommendations have also been made to avoid such problems of color migration in products made from a variety of multiple fabrics.

Application of Chromatographic and Microbiological Analyses to Identify and Assess the Durability of Antimicrobial Properties of Innovative Materials for the Footwear Industry─Leather Modified with Origanum vulgare Oil

A modification of the leather finishing technology in which the essential oil of Origanum vulgare is applied during the process of fatliquoring imparts antimicrobial activity to leather. This paper presents the characteristics of cowhide lining leather enriched with oregano oil (3%wt) in terms of durability of the antimicrobial activity conferred to it. Analyses carried out using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry have shown that carvacrol, the main component of oregano oil which is responsible for antiseptic action, constitutes more than 65% of the mixture of organic compounds detected in the vapor phase over samples of leather enriched with the oil even after 72 months of application. The results of an investigation into the kinetics of volatile compounds emission from leather samples treated with oil provided a proof that carvacrol emission decreased over time in an exponential way but did not fade out. This correlates with the results of microbiological analyses conducted using the agar plate diffusion method. The zones of growth inhibition obtained for the strains of microorganisms with sizes of 13 mm (Staphylococcus aureus), 1–3 mm (Candida albicans), and 2 mm (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis) confirmed that the leather treated with oil still showed good activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi after 72 months of storage. The long-lasting antimicrobial properties of leather enriched with a natural biocide─oregano essential oil make it possible to be used in the production of special footwear intended for people with problems of the skin of the feet and toenails caused by pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

Sustainable concrete interlock tile using rice husk ash & EVA polymer

One-third of the weight of paddy is made up of rice husk, an agricultural waste product created during the grinding of paddy. In developing and undeveloped nations, rice husks are frequently used as fuel for industrial applications because they have a high calorific value. Rice Husk Ash (RHA), obtained by the combustion of Rice husk contains amorphous silica and has shown excellent performance when used as a pozzolanic material in concrete. Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) is a polymer and millions of tonnes of EVA are produced in the form of powder, large-scale EVA production, or post-consumer products around the world. EVA is widely used in the footwear and apparel industries because of its outstanding balance of low cost, good processability, lightweight, and shock absorption qualities. It is employed in the footwear industry to create enlarged plates used for stamping insoles, midsoles, and soles. Thus, the EVA waste generated by the footwear industry causes huge environmental pollution concerns. An eco-friendly lightweight concrete interlock tile was prepared to address the environmental issues caused by EVA waste and Rice husk ash. The paper shows a detailed technical study of the execution of the developed combined concrete and interlock tile. The test results stipulated that the strength and the workability of the developed concrete were not as promising as we expected. Still this work can be considered an effective step towards addressing the problems caused due to waste EVA and Rice Husk Ash. Also, the interlock produced can be used in places where there is light traffic.

Biodegradable Polymer Composite Based on Polyvinyl Chloride and Poly (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) Waste

This paper presents experiments on developing and characterizing biodegradable polymer composites based on polyvinyl chloride and expanded poly(ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA) post-consumer waste. This type of waste is a thermoplastic material collected from the footwear industry, residues from the production of outer and intermediate soles and used footwear. It is used due to its shock absorption properties and low density (0.6-0.8 g/cm3). To make these products, EVA is injected into molds, a process that generates waste that cannot be reused. In this paper, a method of EVA waste recovery is presented and the possibility of developing a recycled product is investigated. Expanded EVA waste is cryogenically ground to sizes of min. 500 nm, functionalized by a mechanical process at temperature with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and mixed in the composite in various proportions (10, 20, 50%). This composite will be made into a low-density product, with low cost, recovery and reuse of waste, and last but not least, biodegradable. The methodology for making the new materials involves the following steps: sorting waste, grinding, functionalization and compounding. These operations are easy to manage and do not involve new equipment. Compounding, the most important operation, will be performed on an extruder-granulator. The experimented biodegradable composites were physico-mechanically characterized. Waste transformation (ground and functionalized) into new value-added products will lead to remarkable improvements in the life cycle of raw materials and the sustainable use of this waste, contributing to sustainability, improving eco-efficiency and economic efficiency and reducing the “pressure” of waste on the environment.

Mechanical characterization and sustainability assessment of recycled EVA for footwears

Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) is a thermoplastic material largely used in the footwear industry. Indeed, it is employed to produce outsoles and midsoles with high shock absorption. For producing these parts of the shoes, EVA is injected into a heated mold. During this process, gates and runners, which are necessary to allow a correct infill of the mold, are generated and they are treated as scraps and disposed in landfill. In this paper, a method for recovering pre-vulcanized EVA waste is presented and the possibility of developing a recycled product is investigated. EVA waste was shredded and dispersed into virgin EVA with a weight content of 10%. This mixture was employed in an injection molding process to produce samples for characterizing tensile, compression, and abrasion resistances and compare them with those of virgin EVA. At the same time, the environmental sustainability of the recovery process was evaluated through the standard methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by comparing the production of recovered outsoles with traditional virgin ones. The LCA was paired with a Life Cycle Costing analysis to quantify possible economic benefits of the innovative system. Even though the resistances are quite lower than the virgin EVA, the recycled one demonstrates remarkable benefits in terms of environmental and cost sustainability, paving the way for a zero-waste system to produce outsoles and, more in general, EVA components.