Use of Adhesive and Primers in

Shoe Manufacturing
 Adhesives
Adhesives are used in shoe manufacturing to
join two or more component together either
temporarily or permanently. Two components
subjected to be stitched together or where one
of the component will be attached permanently
with some other component, may be joined
together using temporary attachment. E.g.
Vamp and quarter joining, Socks attachment ,
Lasting etc. In a shoe upper most of the
attachments are temporary attachment.
 Adhesives
The parts of a shoe where no stitching is used,
components are joined with such adhesives which
provide permanent adhesion. E.g. Attachment of upper
and outsole in a stuck on construction.
Some adhesives are temporary or permanent in nature
but introduced to enhance productivity, material
handling, cost reduction and environmental safeguard.
However it is good practice to use right quantity of
adhesive and wherever possible avoid use of adhesive.
 Adhesives
 Water Based Adhesive
 Latex - Attachment of upper, lining, socks
 Water based Polyurethane adhesive -Used for sole
attachment
 Solvent Based Adhesive
 Rubber Solution
 Polychloroprene
 Polyurethane
 Adhesives
 Pressure sensitive adhesive
Used in reinforcement tapes, packing tapes and labels.
 Hot melt Adhesive
Polyamide – Used in folding, Side and Heel
lasting
Polyester – Used for Toe & Forepart Lasting
EVA – a. Used as sugar coating in interlining,
b. Insole attachment with the last
 Primers
• Some soling material does not have required
compatibility, hence special chemical treatment
needed prior to adhesive application. Primers are used
to enhance the compatibility of the sole with the
adhesive. Therefore material specific primers have to
be used in such cases.
• Some sole need only cleaning with chemical before
adhesive application.
• For the sole material like MCR, VR prior roughing is
important. Only roughing is sufficient for leather sole
 Chemical treatment on sole**
Sole Treatment Adhesive

Leather Rough P’chloroprene

(2 coat)
TPR TPR Primer PU
PU Rough & MEK Wipe PU
EVA EVA Primer PU
PVC MEK Wipe PU
Resin Rubber Rubber primer P’Chloroprene
VR Rough and prime PU
MCR Rough & rubber primer PU

** Upper material is leather

Suitable chemical treatment may be given to the lasting margin of Non Leather upper
before adhesive application.
 Sole Reactivation
The dried adhesive film has to be melted hence
heat reactivated before fusing together in the
process of sole attaching. The temperature
depends on adhesive used.
Adhesive Temperature
Polychloroprene 650 -- 700 C
Polyurethane 800 -- 850C
The shoe must be allowed to cool down before
released from the last.
 Quality in Sole attachment
65% of customer complain is regarding sole
adhesion failure.

The following test can be carried out in the

factory level. This will minimize the
problem.
a. Carbon Paper test
b. SATRA Sole adhesion test
Finishing of Footwear
 Finishing of Footwear
• The process which enhances
70
the appearance and restore
the inherent characteristics 60
of the upper leather is called 50
shoe finishing. This is done Upper
40
to upgrade the quality and Lining
the aesthetic appeal of the 30 Finish
product or to give special 20
appearance.
10
Comparative
0
cost involvement in an upper is given
here (%)
 Criteria of identifying the Top Coat
Leather Finish Effect of dilute Effect of dilute
Ammonia Ammonia
Aniline Calf, Protein Color removed slightly No effect
Glazed Kid
No effect
Semi aniline, Resin Resin Color removed
slightly
PU Coated No effect
PU No effect
Burnish, Oil pull No effect
up Wax/ Oil No effect
Split printed, No effect
Patent, Coated Slight Tackiness
Split PVC
 Shoe Finishing Process
• Cleaning
Remove visible and invisible dirt like adhesive, oils,
edge colors.
• Repairing
Not a mandatory operation. Only in case of minor
damage caused by roughing or any other scratches.
• Wrinkle Chasing
Done by hot air blow or ironing.
• Filling by base coat application
Prevent sinking of the top coat into the material due
to open grain or dryness of leather.
 Shoe Finishing Process
• Top Coat application
This is final treatment. Gives the shoe its
desired effect
• Cutting and polishing
Process of smoothen the grain on the upper
by cotton brush (cutting) subsequently
polished by woolen brush.
Spray finish can also be used on some leather
like Nu buck, Suede, Oil pull up.
Quality Control in Footwear
 What is quality control
The quality control refers to systematic control of
variables encountered in a manufacturing process
which affects the end product. Such variables
results from the application of materials, machines
and manufacturing conditions. Only when these
variables are regulated to the extent that the do not
detract unnecessarily from the excellence of the
manufacturing process as reflected in quality of the
finished product, can control of quality said to exist.
 Quality Specification
• The pre- determined quality requirements
are built during the process of
manufacturing itself. Since quality depends
upon all the elements of production viz:
raw material, equipment, and workmen,
hence, hence all these must be tied up. The
first and foremost step to ensure quality is
to lay down quality specification.
 Quality Specification
Specifications are the description of the
measurable and non measurable characteristics
of the product. These are mainly fore types:

• Material specification
These pertain to the raw material aspects of
footwear. Material specifications are based on
the experience, tests, experiments and applied
research.
 Quality Specification
• Dimensional specification
They refer to the size aspect of the footwear
and they are the ones that are incorporated in
the design component drawings. Exact sizes
are not specified since the assembly will
function despite some variations. Tolerance on
the dimensions are therefore specified to
indicate the maximum variability.
 Quality Specification
• Performance specification
Refer to the actual performance to the footwear.
E.g. some footwear is the insole must no crack
easily, hence laboratory test as to be conducted
to ensure its performance.
• Environmental specification
Pertain to the climatic condition which the
component/ product/ material should withstand
( e.g. Temperature, moisture etc.)
 Quality standard
The quality standard must be definite and
understandable. They must not leave a single
doubt for any department, be it manufacturing,
inspection and any other. The reliance of the
judgment and the problem of interpretation
during inspection must be remote.
Quality standards should be reasonable and
achievable, i.e. they must be economically
viable. Therefore, the quality standards must
be taken into account permissible amount of
variation form the ideal
The quality control function may be
looked upon as integrated function
starts from raw material purchase,
the quality of production aid, the
manufacturing process,
manufacturing facility provided,
workmanship and the system for
monitoring employed.
 Benefits
• Ensure adequate maintenance of quality
• Ensure accurate fitting during assembly of
parts.
• Gives economy in production through
reduction of defective work.
• Prevent idle time of labour and machine
utilization.
 Tools for inspection
• The approved sample
• Good lighting
• A pair of scissors
• Crepe rubber
• Work ticket