What is the Sole of a Shoe

The sole of a shoe, also known as the outsole, is the bottom part of the shoe that comes in direct contact with the ground. Shoe soles are made from a variety of different materials, including natural rubber, leather, polyurethane and PVC compounds. The material used to make the sole depends upon the style and purpose of the shoe.

Shoes and Shoe making

Shoes are further divided into many categories such as athletic shoes also known as sneakers, galoshes, high heels, Stiletto heels, kitten heels, lace-up shoes, high-Tops, loafers, Mary Janes, platform shoes, school shoes and many others. Shoemaking can be considered a traditional handicraft profession. However, now it has been largely taken over by industrial manufacture of footwear. A variety of materials are used for making shoes- leather fabrics, plastic, rubber, fabrics, wood, jute fabrics, and metal. More than 200 operations are required for making a pair of shoes. However, with the development of modern machines, a pair of shoes can be made in very less time as each step in its manufacturing is generally performed by a separate footwear making machine. 

The Properties of Rubber Shoe Soles

The Rubber shoe sole material can be roughly classified into Natural Rubber or Synthetic Rubber.

The Advantage of Natural Rubber is that: it is very Soft, Excellent Elasticity, and can adapt to a Variety of Sports shoes.

The Synthetic Rubber is divided into Wear-Resistant Rubber, Green Rubber, Air Rubber, Viscous Rubber, Dard Rubber, and Carbon Rubber.

Shoe Soles with Rubber Material have the advantages of Soft, Elastic, High Density, with high performances of  Wear Resistance, Water Resistance, Oil Resistance, Heat Resistance, Pressure Resistance, Impact Resistance. 

The Original Method of Vulcanization

The original method of vulcanization, and still the most common, is to mix sulphur with natural rubber and then heat it. The sulphur changes the chemical structure of the rubber, creating crosslinks between polymers to make them stronger and more durable. The name of the process is derived from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, in reference to the heating process that pushes the whole reaction along. The resulting rubber has increased elasticity, resistance and is less perishable than its natural predecessor.