Overview
EN ISO 17698:2016 - Footwear - Test methods for uppers - Delamination resistance (ISO 17698:2016) is a CEN-adopted ISO standard that specifies a laboratory test method to determine the delamination resistance of coated materials used for footwear uppers. The method assesses the strength of adhesion between a coating and its base material (peel/delamination behaviour) to judge suitability for end use. This second edition (2016) supersedes EN 13514:2001 and is based on the IULTCS/IUF 470 method.
Keywords: EN ISO 17698:2016, delamination resistance, footwear uppers test, coated material, peel test
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: Test method for delamination resistance of coated uppers, including dry, wet and hydrolysed conditions.
- Principle: Bond the coated surface of the test specimen to resin rubber and measure the force required to peel the coating from the base material using a tensile testing machine.
- Apparatus and materials (examples from the standard):
- Tensile testing machine with jaw separation rate (100 ± 10) mm/min and force measurement accuracy > 2 % (ISO 7500‑1, class 2).
- Autographic recorder or equivalent for continuous force recording.
- Rapid acting platen press (≈ 550 ± 50 kPa on 50 × 70 mm).
- Resin rubber (3.5 ± 0.2 mm, hardness 95 ± 2 IRHD), rubber pad (≥ 10 mm, hardness 40 ± 10 IRHD).
- Radiant heater able to heat adhesive film to 80–90 °C within 15 s and means to verify temperature (heat‑sensitive crayons or IR thermometer).
- Solvent‑borne polyurethane adhesive and optional adhesion primer.
- Specimen preparation and sampling: Defined marking, cutting, orientation (machine/X-axis), paper tab attachment and assembly dimensions (examples: 50 × 70 mm pieces; smaller sizes permitted if necessary).
- Test procedure: Adhesive application and drying, bonding to resin rubber, heating/reactivation, peeling at defined rate, and recording of force/time.
- Reporting: The standard sets out required details for test reports (sampling, conditioning, apparatus, results and any deviations).
Practical applications and users
Who uses EN ISO 17698:2016:
- Footwear manufacturers and component suppliers for quality control and supplier verification.
- Test laboratories and R&D teams evaluating coated fabrics, PU‑coated uppers and adhesive systems.
- Product development and durability assessment to compare materials and construction choices.
- Compliance and procurement teams requiring objective performance data for acceptance criteria.
Benefits:
- Standardized peel/delamination testing for repeatable comparisons.
- Supports decisions on material selection, adhesive systems and manufacturing processes.
- Enables assessment under dry, wet and aged/humid conditions to simulate end‑use environments.
Related standards
- ISO 17709 - Sampling location, specimen preparation and conditioning for footwear
- ISO 18454 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing
- ISO 20870 - Ageing conditioning
- ISO 7500‑1 - Calibration and verification of tensile testing machines
- ISO 3696 - Water for analytical laboratory use
Using EN ISO 17698:2016 helps ensure consistent, reproducible evaluation of delamination resistance for coated footwear uppers across production, testing and development workflows.
