Level of Comfort: Artificial and Natural Shoe Materials. A Comprehensive Assessment

Abstract

Hygroscopicity, moisture return, wetting, capillarity and water vapour permeability of materials were studied in shoes linings and insoles made of natural and artificial leather. It was established that liquid-based and final finishing deteriorate hygienic properties of natural leather to a great extend. With the use of obtained results, a new graphically-numerical method was tested in assessment of shoe material comfortability, the materials that have direct contact with the human foot. According to the method, the ratio between pentagon areas of material tested and reference material is taken as quantitative indicator of quality.