Overview
ISO 17701:2016 - Footwear - Test methods for uppers, lining and insocks - Colour migration specifies a laboratory method to determine the propensity of one material to cause discolouration (colour migration) of another when stored in intimate contact. The procedure applies to all footwear materials used in close contact (uppers, linings, insocks, sole components) and to adhesives used to bond them. The test simulates accelerated storage conditions and quantifies staining or colour loss using instrumental and visual assessment.
Key technical topics and requirements
- Scope: Detects transfer of dye/pigment between paired materials, single adhesive-coated samples, and laminated assemblies.
- Conditioning: Samples conditioned in a standard atmosphere per ISO 18454 for a minimum of 24 h prior to testing.
- Specimen sizes: Typical minimum specimens are 30 × 20 mm for paired-material tests and 50 × 50 mm for adhesive/laminate tests (with proportional adjustments allowed).
- Assembly & pressure: Test specimens are placed between two smooth glass plates and loaded so contact pressure is 5.2 kPa ± 0.5 kPa (mass adjusted for specimen area; glass plates typically ~50 g ± 5 g).
- Temperature & exposure: Stored in the dark at 60 °C ± 2 °C; assemblies are inspected after 24 h and then daily up to a cumulative 7 days.
- Measurement & assessment: Colour measured with a calibrated colorimeter to obtain CIE / CIELAB values (CIE 15:2004); visual assessment can use EN ISO 105-A02/A03 grey scales for change in colour and staining. Record both numerical colour-difference data and descriptive notes on colour, intensity and uniformity.
- Reporting: Test reports must list material IDs, method of colour measurement, exposure times, numerical and visual ratings, dates, and any deviations from the standard.
Practical applications and users
- Footwear manufacturers use ISO 17701 to screen upper, lining and insole materials and to evaluate adhesive systems before production to avoid customer complaints about staining or discolouration.
- Material suppliers and converters employ the test to demonstrate compatibility between dyes, finishes and substrate combinations.
- Third‑party test laboratories provide standardized, traceable results for product specifications, QA release testing and supplier audits.
- R&D and quality assurance teams rely on the method when developing new materials, adhesives or color fastness treatments.
Related standards (normative references)
- ISO 18454 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning/testing of footwear
- EN ISO 105-A01 / A02 / A03 - Colour fastness test principles and grey scales
- EN ISO 1995 - Footwear vocabulary
- CIE 15 - Colorimetry
Using ISO 17701:2016 helps reduce product failures from colour migration, supports material compatibility evaluation, and provides a reproducible basis for supplier acceptance criteria and warranty investigations. Keywords: ISO 17701:2016, colour migration, footwear test methods, uppers lining insocks, colour fastness, adhesive staining, CIELAB, colorimeter.
