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AI on its way into footwear factories

Research institution Inescop has shared details of some of the practical experience it has built up so far of using artificial intelligence in working shoe manufacturing facilities. Talk about artificial intelligence (AI) may be all the rage but, beyond that, examples have now come to light of the technology in use on footwear factory floors,...
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15 November 2024
The timeless craft of Cordovan leather - footwearbiz, world footwear The timeless craft of Cordovan leather
Cordovan leather, often known as "shell cordovan", is celebrated for its exceptional quality and unique craftsmanship, boasting a history that stretches back centuries. The story of this valued material is as...
20 September 2024
Tipping the needle - footwearbiz, world footwear Tipping the needle
London’s Future Fabrics Expo curated a separate area for footwear for the first time, as companies speed up commercialisation of ‘next gen’ materials and new manufacturing process are touted.
13 September 2024
A cure for the PFAS problem - footwearbiz, world footwear A cure for the PFAS problem
Textile finishing specialist (GTT) is taking its PFAS- and water-free Empel textile finishing platform into footwear.
06 September 2024
Paris on a plate - footwearbiz, world footwear Paris on a plate
Footwear brand Puma has put a lot into helping athletes prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Reigning 400-metres hurdles champion, Karsten Warholm, is one of those hoping the hard work pays off.
30 August 2024
A solution for a sticky problem - footwearbiz, world footwear A solution for a sticky problem
Advances in adhesive technology are opening up new possibilities for recycling athletic shoes.
23 August 2024
In-house expansion - footwearbiz, world footwear In-house expansion
Luxury group Hermès will continue its drive to open new leathergoods factories in France in the next four years. But when it comes to footwear, it will be with partners in Italy that it builds up its in-house...
16 August 2024
The material behind the retro trend - footwearbiz, world footwear The material behind the retro trend
In recent months, a particular style of athletic shoes has experienced a significant resurgence in demand. A look at the material that is helping to make them popular again.
28 June 2024
AI becomes a serious tool - footwearbiz, world footwear AI becomes a serious tool
W.L. Gore & Associates believes a recent project involving AI and its versatile Extraguard safety footwear upper material points the way to a huge range of design possibilities.
21 June 2024
How last shape can influence fit - footwearbiz, world footwear How last shape can influence fit
Do you often think about your feet during the day? If the answer is ‘yes’, your shoes probably do not fit properly.
14 June 2024
Swot analysis - footwearbiz, world footwear Swot analysis
A report by the European Chemicals Agency discovered that 8% of footwear failed to comply with single-market chemical regulations in 2022.
07 June 2024
The remarkable foot - footwearbiz, world footwear The remarkable foot
Feet are one of the less attractive parts of the body and yet are vital to our very existence.
31 May 2024
No herd mentality - footwearbiz, world footwear No herd mentality
A conservation project in South Dakota has brought life back to the grasslands with the reintroduction of buffalo.
24 May 2024
Supply chain traceability – what’s to hide? - footwearbiz, world footwear Supply chain traceability – what’s to hide?
Lily Cuthbertson, Eurofins BLC Leather Technology Centre
17 May 2024
Performance provides the buzz - footwearbiz, world footwear Performance provides the buzz
Changes to materials and construction are crucial in creating shoes that will provide athletes with performance gains. What this means for sustainability strategies is a separate question.
10 May 2024
Biomaterials for footwear - footwearbiz, world footwear Biomaterials for footwear
Maria José Ferreira, CTCP/BioShoes4All Consortium, Portugal
03 May 2024
PrimeAsia looks towards a bright future - footwearbiz, world footwear PrimeAsia looks towards a bright future
The leather manufacturer has set out an ambitious new strategy to give its clients access to verified data to weave into their own carbon reduction and sustainability targets.
26 April 2024
A limitless source of raw material - footwearbiz, world footwear A limitless source of raw material
Algae blooms have become a major environmental problem and their explosive growth can be linked to increasing global temperatures and rising pollution.
19 April 2024
Boots for the working woman - footwearbiz, world footwear Boots for the working woman
Safety footwear entrepreneur Emily Soloby is adding her voice to the call for employers to make sure shoes and boots for women fit properly.
12 April 2024
Answers in Almansa - footwearbiz, world footwear Answers in Almansa
Footwear materials solutions innovator OrthoLite has completed an expansion project at its European production site in Almansa.
05 April 2024
Mongolian makers gain global platform - footwearbiz, world footwear Mongolian makers gain global platform
A slipper-making project creates much-needed income for families living below the poverty line. The scheme has been backed by Vivobarefoot and is part of its wider remit to support communities through...
22 March 2024
HAPTIC textile coating for footwear - footwearbiz, world footwear HAPTIC textile coating for footwear
Much like the mobility industry, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Circular Fibres Initiative, the textile industry is a major greenhouse gas emitter and environmental polluter.
15 March 2024
Soft-flowing materials for insoles - footwearbiz, world footwear Soft-flowing materials for insoles
Insoles and insocks are extremely versatile footwear components made in a variety of materials and designs.
08 March 2024
Weighing up the gains - footwearbiz, world footwear Weighing up the gains
Adidas designed the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 to be a staggering 40% lighter than any other shoe, helping to decimate the women’s world record marathon time in the process.
01 March 2024
A rise comes before a fall - footwearbiz, world footwear A rise comes before a fall
Stuart Cleaver. After a promising 2022 the shoe industry had some expectations that 2023 would not be as buoyant.
23 February 2024
Loafers with radical transparency - footwearbiz, world footwear Loafers with radical transparency
Footwear brands Sebago and NN.07 have teamed up with Spoor to make a special, traceable version of the Classic Dan loafer.
16 February 2024
21st UITIC International Technical Footwear Congress - footwearbiz, world footwear 21st UITIC International Technical Footwear Congress
UITIC, the international association of footwear technicians, celebrated its 21st Congress last September (19th-22nd) in Milan and Vigevano
Innovative footwear recycling - footwearbiz, world footwear Innovative footwear recycling
Borja Mateu, Ana Belén Muñoz and Elena Orgilés INESCOP Footwear Technology Centre
03 November 2023
Driving digital transformation - footwearbiz, world footwear Driving digital transformation
Maria José Ferreira and Green Shoes 4.0 Consortium
13 October 2023
Reconciling conflicting concepts - footwearbiz, world footwear Reconciling conflicting concepts
Even within the leather making sector, the preference for hide purchases based on area instead of weight have been the subject of both debate and investigation.
25 August 2023
Allbirds buffeted by headwinds - footwearbiz, world footwear Allbirds buffeted by headwinds
The brand has ambitious sustainability commitments but a move away from core products has left some investors questioning its strategy.
18 August 2023
A vital component – sewing threads - footwearbiz, world footwear A vital component – sewing threads
In the last issue of World Footwear, we looked at the important role that the lockstitch plays in the footwear manufacturing process.
11 August 2023
What’s next? - footwearbiz, world footwear What’s next?
Coffee is the world’s second most traded product after oil. It is also the world’s second largest beverage only exceeded by water.
04 August 2023
Avoiding the headache from glutaraldehyde - footwearbiz, world footwear Avoiding the headache from glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde (GTA) is an aldehyde that can be used as an alternative to chrome tanning. In July 2021, it was listed on the SVHC (substances of very high concern) candidate list due to its respiratory...
28 July 2023
Advancing functional materials through plasma technology - footwearbiz, world footwear Advancing functional materials through plasma technology
The footwear industry is continuously evolving, driven by the pursuit of improved functionality and performance in its products.
21 July 2023
Calculating footwear sustainability impacts - footwearbiz, world footwear Calculating footwear sustainability impacts
The manufacturing of footwear uses a high number of components and a wide variety of materials which are sourced from all over the world.
14 July 2023
A shoe for high achievers - footwearbiz, world footwear A shoe for high achievers
Footwear brand Scarpa picked a special athlete to help it develop its latest trail-running shoe, the Spin Planet.
07 July 2023
Robot-aided cementing of uppers and soles - footwearbiz, world footwear Robot-aided cementing of uppers and soles
Manual labour still accounts for a major share of the work involved in producing roughly 90% of the global output of footwear.
30 June 2023
Mycelium in the mix - footwearbiz, world footwear Mycelium in the mix
A small number of very high-profile tanners have begun to add mycelium-based materials to their product offerings, not as a competitor to leather but as a much-needed replacement for plastic.
23 June 2023
Digitisation of leather in shoe manufacture - footwearbiz, world footwear Digitisation of leather in shoe manufacture
Germans have something of a reputation for frugality. Sure, it is a cliché, but there’s a grain of truth to it all the same.
12 May 2023
New personal best - footwearbiz, world footwear New personal best
As adidas embarks on its next chapter under the direction of a slightly surprising new chief executive, we take a look at why good sportsmanship will prove essential as the company navigates its next steps.
05 May 2023
Veja’s 180-degree turn - footwearbiz, world footwear Veja’s 180-degree turn
Since its publication of a carbon footprint report in 2021 that showed leather in a poor light, shoe company Veja has worked hard to improve its knowledge of the leather value chain, with encouraging results.
21 April 2023
Carbon-neutral safety shoes - footwearbiz, world footwear Carbon-neutral safety shoes
Italian brand U-Power is claiming a world first, with a range of safety footwear that is certified as carbon-neutral.
13 April 2023
Fast getaway - footwearbiz, world footwear Fast getaway
With the launch of a hands-free children’s footwear line, Kizik’s signature collapsible heel has simplified the act of putting on shoes for all ages and abilities.
05 April 2023
Prize fighters - footwearbiz, world footwear Prize fighters
A revamped format for the ISPO Award programme has given footwear its own category. In 2022, 12 different shoe, boot and footwear technology ideas were among the winners.

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