Leading news site for the global footwear industry

A gift from the Gods

Impressed by its European manufacturing stance and strong branding, Camper has made its first purchase: Ancient Greek Sandals. According to ancient Greek myth, the gods and goddesses had their... Free Content

Recycling: ‘challenging but possible’
Leading brands have supported Fashion for Good pilots to pool...
A new deal for Curry
After 13 years as a key figure for Under Armour’s footwear category,...
A new chapter for Bangladesh
A traceability project in Bangladesh successfully tracked millions of ...
Cry for help
The industry body that represents footwear components manufacturers...
The beauty of calf leather
Calf leather remains a benchmark material in luxury footwear, valued...

07 August 2026

Lasting trend

Beyond Beyoncé’s influence, the western boot was popular long before her 2024 album Cowboy Carter. A look at autumn-winter 2026-2027 collections suggests the trend will continue for a long time yet.

31 July 2026

Mixed message

Luxury group Kering has set out its vision for the future. The message to suppliers and buyers of leather products, including footwear, was mixed.

17 July 2026

TPU sole with rubber soul

BASF says Elastollan GripTec gives designers greater freedom and manufacturers an easily integrated, lower-footprint alternative.

10 July 2026

Supershoe helps athletes make history

Three athletes achieved world-firsts at the 2026 London Marathon. They were all wearing the same footwear.

03 July 2026

Complex combinations

Technology provider Trinamix has developed a system that can see through the “complex material combinations” in contemporary footwear and make shoes easier to recycle.

26 June 2026

Raw material quest

Leather’s appeal remains strong for Turkey’s footwear industry, in spite of important changes in the domestic supply landscape.

19 June 2026

Ecco trials leather waste fibre

The Danish brand has shown that wet blue shavings can be transformed into new material through its longstanding partnership with Spinnova.

05 June 2026

A tale of two summits

Identical twins climbed Mera Peak wearing two eras of mountaineering kit: one in cutting-edge technical apparel, the other in a meticulous replica of George Mallory’s 1924 gear. Crockett & Jones stepped up to...

15 May 2026

Sustainable leather in transition

The leather industry is entering a period of change, shaped by regulatory pressure, market expectations and technological developments. Projects that link sustainability to practical applications can provide...

08 May 2026

‘Premium’ as a superpower

Athletic shoe brand On aims to put itself at the pinnacle of the premium market, and stay there. It is innovation that will drive this ambition.

01 May 2026

Reclaiming a lost material

Made with 85% recycled product, Blumaka’s insoles and midsoles can help footwear brands find a use for foam waste while boosting comfort and durability. Anti-slip technology and carbon plates are taking...

24 April 2026

Own-factory advantages

As the whole business world tries to find ways to navigate tariffs and turmoil, footwear group Rocky Brands says its policy of keeping at least some production in house has brought benefits.

17 April 2026

UITIC Congress bets on AI

Twelve out of 16 technical presentations at the 2025 UITIC Congress in Shanghai had a focus on artificial intelligence (AI).

02 January 2026

Complex journey to biocircularity

After decades of looking after Asian manufacturing for big brands, David Solk and Irmi Kreuzer ploughed their resources and experience into creating a shoe in which every element has been selected for its...

19 December 2025

A decade of discoveries

Lenzing’s innovations in the footwear sector means its wood-based products have multiple uses for shoes, with Circle Sportswear the first to use its lyocell filament for an upper.

12 December 2025

From the ground up

Twenty-five years of learning about the footwear industry from the inside have allowed Nikolai Christensen the freedom to do things differently with start-up brand Movv.

05 December 2025

Sustainability race

Covestro has been working with Huafeng since 2023 on what the partners have called a ‘sustainability transformation’. Fruits of the partnership now include footwear that a team from Germany wore in a special...

28 November 2025

Another new start for Stuart Weitzman

For the third time in just over a decade, Stuart Weitzman is under new ownership. Re-establishing a good relationship with partner manufacturers in Spain could be the key to Caleres making a success of its...

14 November 2025

SMEs weigh data burden

Some of the world’s most beautiful shoes are made by highly skilled artisans in small workshops. Now, these are being asked to also become data providers and sustainability managers as their customers lean on...

31 October 2025

Shoes are a challenge for automation

Shapes, materials and colours in sports shoe uppers change frequently; many of the components in their construction are soft. These factors make using automation to produce them a particular challenge.

17 October 2025

ECCO Leather tannery fire

The footwear and leather group is focusing on resuming operations after a fire destroyed its wet-end processing facility in the Netherlands. The vertical nature of the business means disruptions have a...

03 October 2025

Hyping the Hyperboot

The CEO of Hyperice tells us how teaming up with Nike for a boot that boosts warm-up and recovery is only the start of the potential of the burgeoning category.

19 September 2025

The importance of uppers and linings

Many people overlook the significance of footwear uppers and linings, according to Dr Naveed Anwar, a senior manager in footwear design engineering at adidas. This article examines the essential functions of...

29 August 2025

Turbulent times

Stuart Cleaver The author of the World Shoe Review report says the global industry made some progress in 2024, but that the tariff turbulence of early 2025 has plunged the sector into anxiety again.

22 August 2025

Biodegradable by design

Despite its long history, leather is still widely misunderstood, especially in today’s search for sustainable, durable, and biodegradable materials.

25 July 2025

A guide to EU sustainability rules

Pirmasens-based footwear technology and research institute PFI has put together a guide to help shoe companies keep track of all the European Union sustainability regulations that could impact on the industry.

11 July 2025

Preferred materials

Footwear brand New Balance is using data from LCA exercises to reset its environmental targets and its definition of ‘preferred materials’. This is already informing changes to product design.

27 June 2025

Scalable, biodegradable midsole materials

An almost three-year quest at OrthoLite’s Cirql division to add a biodegradable midsole material to its recyclable offering is complete.

13 June 2025

A seat at the table

Puma has enlisted ‘youth voices’ and influencers to explore questions surrounding real leather versus its alternatives - and uses our Nothing to Hide website to inform the debate.

30 May 2025

Innovation in digital leather processing

Swiss-based cutting technology provider Zünd recently unveiled further innovative solutions for the leather industry, showcasing advances in automation, precision, and workflow efficiency.

16 May 2025

Growing consensus

Last autumn’s revision of the Higg Index included new figures for leather, showing a substantially reduced environmental impact.

02 May 2025

Propelled forward

A ban by the NBA for Athletic Propulsion Labs’ first shoe came as a shock to the twin brothers who launched the start-up fresh from college, but it has turned out to be blessing in disguise.

25 April 2025

Insoles as essential equipment

Dr Naveed Anwar – Pressure-relieving insoles can play a pivotal role in enhancing comfort, reducing injury risks and even improving athletic performance. This article explores the technology and science behind ...

11 April 2025

Footwear for diabetics

A research team in Poland has developed special footwear incorporating pulse-emitters to help people with diabetes.

04 April 2025

The fight for durability

A “radical step forward” in making its footwear more durable helped Keen win recognition in Time’s ‘Best Inventions’ list at the end of 2024.

21 March 2025

Single-minded

Helen Kirkum combines sneaker culture with craftsmanship, using leftover shoes and deadstock to create unique designs.

14 March 2025

Leather outsoles, not to be overlooked

Innovations in footwear might suggest that comfort, performance, and wearability are in a constant state of evolution.

07 March 2025

To repair is to care

A lowering of tax on shoe repairs in France should convince more consumers of the benefits of renewing and reusing footwear as part of a more sustainable economic model.

28 February 2025

The lasting demands of automation

Last technology developer Framas makes a case for automation in direct-injection processes, but points out that specially developed lasts are an essential part of this transition.

27 December 2024

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.

20 December 2024

Work and play

With labour and skills shortages high on the list of challenges facing the shoe industry in Europe, CEC hopes a new game can help bring young people into the sector.

13 December 2024

Web of influence

Sportswear brand On has developed a novel way to create uppers: sprayed from a robotic arm in a matter of minutes.

06 December 2024

Natural progression

Performance cotton brand Ventile is making strides in the footwear sector with its recycled offerings.

29 November 2024

Getting a grip on circularity

Huntsman has set its sights on recyclability with a versatile TPU soling range complementing a so-called first liquid TPU for the footwear industry.

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Technical Library

A gift from the Gods