Overview
EN ISO 17695:2005 - Footwear - Test methods for uppers - Deformability (ISO 17695:2004) is a European and international standard developed by CEN and ISO. This standard outlines a test method to determine the deformability of footwear uppers, whether made from leather, synthetic, textile, or any other material. The standard provides the necessary procedures to assess the suitability of upper materials or complete upper assemblies for their intended end use. By measuring how much a footwear upper can deform under specific conditions, manufacturers, laboratories, and quality control professionals can ensure that shoes meet the required comfort, durability, and performance standards.
Key Topics
- Deformability Testing: The method measures the resistance and flexibility of footwear upper materials when subjected to a controlled mechanical force, simulating real-life bending and stress conditions during wear.
- Applicability to All Materials: Whether the upper is leather, synthetic, textile, or a composite, this standard applies to single materials and full upper assemblies.
- Sample Preparation: Guidance on selecting and conditioning specimens, ensuring tests reflect real-world usage.
- Test Procedure: Detailed instructions for clamping, applying force, and measuring the displacement and force required to deform the specimen.
- Reporting Requirements: Specifies calculation and documentation of results, including a mean force value and all relevant sample and test identifiers.
- Quality Control: Supports consistency and repeatability in footwear testing across various materials and products.
Applications
EN ISO 17695:2005 is essential for:
- Footwear Manufacturers: Assuring product quality by validating materials' ability to meet deformability standards, which directly correlate with user comfort and product lifespan.
- Testing Laboratories: Providing a standardized method to assess a variety of upper materials for compliance and performance benchmarking.
- Material Suppliers: Delivering upper components that are pre-tested to meet international expectations, facilitating acceptance by footwear brands globally.
- Quality Assurance: Establishing reproducible test results critical for regulatory compliance, product development, and customer satisfaction.
- Product Development: Informing design decisions by understanding how different material choices respond under load and over time.
Practical value: By adopting this standard, organizations reduce the likelihood of premature product failure or discomfort due to unsuitable or poorly performing upper materials. The standard supports competitive product development, export readiness, and regulatory compliance, particularly throughout Europe.
Related Standards
Several related standards provide complementary guidance for footwear testing, material selection, and conditioning procedures:
- EN 12222: Footwear - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing of footwear and components for footwear, cited for specimen conditioning protocols in EN ISO 17695:2005.
- ISO 2418: Leather - Chemical, physical, mechanical and fastness tests – Sampling, referenced for proper sampling locations and methodology for leather materials.
- EN 13513: The superseded European standard for deformability testing, which EN ISO 17695:2005 replaces and updates.
- ISO/TC 216: Technical Committee responsible for the preparation of international footwear standards, ensuring industry-wide alignment.
Keywords: Footwear standards, footwear upper testing, EN ISO 17695:2005, deformability test, shoe materials, quality control in footwear, CEN standards, ISO 17695:2004, textile and leather testing, footwear compliance.
By implementing EN ISO 17695:2005, stakeholders in the footwear supply chain gain access to a recognized, reliable framework for deformability assessment, enhancing quality, user satisfaction, and global market acceptance.
