HYGIENIC COMFORT

Among the many tests that CTC laboratories can offer you, here are two examples of analyzes in hygienic comfort to characterize your products.

Water absorption and desorption

Objective

This method is used to evaluate water absorption and desorption for insoles and insocks. This information is particularly important for hygienic comfort. Absorption quantifies the ability to “keep the foot dry”, while desorption checks whether water absorbed will be salted-out at a sufficient rate to avoid promoting the spread of bacteria.

Principle

The test consists of reproducing the stresses to which the insole is subjected on the foot: pressure, flexing and wet contact. We then measure the maximum quantity of water absorbable by the material.  For desorption, the specimen is dried in the open air for a specific time, and then weighed. 
The result corresponds to the water absorption at saturation expressed in mg/cm2*, and the water desorption expressed as a percentage.

* Milligram per cm2.

Water absorption and desorption testing

Breathability over whole shoe 

Objective

This test is used to check the breathability not of the materials taken individually, but of the whole shoe. This means measuring the water vapour evacuation that the wearer will experience.

Principle

The test consists of mounting onto the shoe a device which can simulate feet sweating conditions, in terms of water vapour emission. The shoe and special device assembly is placed on a weighting machine, and the mass variations are monitored continuously. The evolution over time of mass loss is used to check what quantity of water vapour can be removed from the shoe The result corresponds to the breathability of the whole shoe in g/h*.

* Grams per hour.

Breathability over whole shoe