Footwear Science: Click For Updates
Footwear Science: Click For Updates
Footwear Science: Click For Updates
Footwear Science
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To cite this article: Jana Pavlackova, Pavlina Egner, Pavel Mokrejs & Martina Cernekova (2015): Verification of toe allowance
of children's footwear and its categorisation, Footwear Science, DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2015.1049299
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Footwear Science, 2015
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2015.1049299
This study verifies the declared sizes of children’s footwear, categorising it according to gender and age, the cut of the
upper, the assembling method, the material of the upper, the lining material, the fastening, the heights of the upper and the
heights of the heel. The study looked into the allocation given to toe allowance, which represents growing room for a
child’s foot, while ensuring the shoes remain comfortable. Research was conducted on 115 pairs of children’s footwear, at
the French sizes of 22, 25 and 30. It was found that in all examples at size 22, the recommended design specifications for
toe allowance were most consistently observed, while for size 25 this applied in 91% of cases, but an alarming percentage
54% of pairs was discerned for size 30. This provision for growth exists to prevent possible damage to the soft tissues
of children’s feet and also to prevent forefoot deformities from occurring. Maintaining the specifications for toe allowance
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also contributes to easier customer guidance when selecting the optimum shoe size.
Keywords: children’s footwear; comfort; fit; foot; size; toe allowance
The length of the foot is a crucial dimension in select- 2. Materials and methods
ing the most appropriate size of footwear. Properly fitting 2.1. Materials
shoes should be approximately 915 mm longer than the
Verifying the declared size of footwear took place in two
foot (Cheskin, Sherkin, & Bates, 1987; Maier & Kill-
independent children’s footwear specialised stores, when
mann, 2003; McInnes et al., 2012; Pivecka & Laure,
a total of 115 (N D 115) right half-pairs were checked,
1995; Stastna, 2003). This parameter is referred to as toe
size 22 (N22 D 37), 25 (N25 D 43) and 30 (N30 D 35), in
allowance. Maintaining toe allowance values is some-
accordance with the French sizing system, these emanat-
thing that has been increasingly violated by footwear
ing from different footwear manufacturers and represent-
modellers and designers. The main problem is failure on
ing contemporary children’s footwear from the youngest
the part of the manufacturers to indicate the allocation of
children (start of walking) to pre-school children. The
toe allowance for each shoe when selecting suitable
vast majority of shoe samples were manufactured in the
children’s footwear in terms of proportion. In fact, this is
EU (38% in Austria, 25% in the Czech Republic, 22% in
even not required by traders (Hlavacek, 2010). Toe
Italy, 8% in Denmark and 5% in Norway), 2% of shoe
allowance refers to the space (in) which the children’s
samples were produced in the USA. The samples com-
foot can grow, the toes move when walking, allows a
prised from 12 shoe brands Superfit, Richter, Geox, Pri-
designer to modify the shape of the front (tip) of footwear
migi, Fare, Ecco, Sante, KTR, Olang, Viking, ESSI, Keen;
according to trends in fashion (Pivecka & Laure, 1995;
the biggest representatives among them was Austrian
Rossi & Tennant, 1984).
company Superfit, the second and third ones were Richter
Irregular leaps or bursts in growth, a facet not shared
and Geox. Distribution of the nation of manufacturers
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Table 2. Distribution of the brands (%) amongst the shoe sizes sampled.
Brands of manufacturers
Shoe size Superfit Richter KTR ESSI Sante Fare Geox Primigi Olang Ecco Viking Keen
22 22 11 5 8 5 11 11 13 0 14 0 0
25 39 16 5 0 5 7 9 5 2 7 5 0
30 23 9 3 0 3 11 20 11 3 0 11 6
2.2.2. Measurement of footwear length allowance were defined under four mathematical inter-
The inside length of footwear was determined in each vals: unacceptable in the interval <5; 0), permissible in
half-pair from the toe cap to the curve of the heel using a the interval <0; 5), healthy in the interval <5; 15), critical
special in-shoe length measuring device (PFI, Germany), in the interval <15; 25). The healthy range covered foot-
see Figure 1. This hand-held device determines the in- wear that was found to have a toe allowance of 515 mm,
shoe length and hence the insole length of shoes with dif- allowing space for the feet to move in when walking, as
ferent heel and toe spring values. The measurement well as providing sufficient growing room. A 515 mm
border was set, because 5 mm toe allowance is still
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USA) as histograms of relative frequencies. Basic analy- 3.1. Analysis of footwear length and toe allowance
ses of the internal length of the footwear and toe allow- The conducted 2D box plot analysis supplemented with
ance were carried out on Excel 2010 and Statistica 10.0 values for foot length (Figure 2) illustrates that the larger
(StatSoft, Inc. Tulsa, USA). A 2D box plot was used to the size, the more such footwear exhibited a greater varia-
display the statistically processed values of the footwear’s tion in length. This, in theory, suggests a wider diversity in
length and toe allowance. For each size, the box is defined the variability of length compared with smaller sizes, e.g.
by the arithmetic mean (&), its upper and lower limits rep- 22; thus, a more thorough trial when choosing footwear of
resenting §SD (standard deviation). Attached is also a lin- appropriate length is necessary. This means that it is better
ear definition of the minimum and maximum measured to try on such footwear properly, on the right and left feet,
values of toe allowance, including foot length indicated rather than simply relying on the size given. Nevertheless,
by () for better representation of outlying samples. it can be noted that rules governing the design of toe allow-
ance are followed more strictly in lesser shoe sizes.
Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 3, showing the allocation
3. Results and discussion of an average amount of toe allowance, ranging from 9.5 to
11.3 mm, for all the pairs of shoes of selected size. Size 30
Footwear toe allowance is primarily given by the con-
was found to have diminished, unsatisfactory values for toe
struction of front part of the last, which is the basis form
allowance. Low frequency check-up of fitting such footwear
for its production. Selected categorized criteria of child-
could easily promote certain forefoot deformities. It should
ren’s footwear (the cut of the upper, the assembling
be noted that even size 30 footwear is still designed to facili-
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of toe allowance; for this size, 40% of the footwear was With respect to the research question of our study,
indicated to fail to give the guarantee of comfortable foot- values of toe allowance found in lower shoe sizes
wear. Therefore, it pertains to shoes in which customers (22 and 25) correspond with children’s foot length
may not provide the expected sense of comfort because of increment at this age. Contrarily, in higher size (30)
their length when trying them in a shop and if they buy approximately 50% of tested samples do not provide
such footwear, such feelings of discomfort or potential sufficient growing room for healthy development of
damage to the foot may occur as the feet continue to grow. children’s foot.
3.2. Children’s footwear categorisation design has the rear sections applied to the instep section,
3.2.1. Size groups permits better ‘throat’ opening as compared with, for
example, the instep cut. The latter features instep sections
Generally, size groups represent the categorisation of
stapled to the rear sections, which partially limits space
footwear by age and gender. Due to the controversial
when putting on the shoes. Therefore, the Derby style is
trend known as ‘unisex’, such footwear also included
highly suited to small children, meaning that putting on
shoes designed for both genders. This clothing and foot-
shoes is easier for them due to their developing motor
wear fashion is characterised by the neutral colours of the
skills.
materials used and the overall design of shoes acceptable
to both genders. Size 22 comprised 33% of footwear
designed for girls, 43% designed for boys and 24% made 3.2.3. Assembling method
under the unisex category herein being checked. As
Connecting the sole to the upper was done via three tech-
regards size 25, 58% of girls’ footwear, 28% of boys’
nologies: (1) conventional using an adhesive (22 32%,
shoes and 14% of unisex shoes were assessed, while size
25 35% and 30 46%); (2) by connecting the upper to
30 comprised 43% of girls’ shoes, 54% of boys’ footwear
the soft insole using Strobel technique (22 57%, 25
and 3% of unisex shoes.
42% and 30 54%) which is specific way of stitching
upper leathers and lining to the insole of footwear, as a con-
3.2.2. Footwear upper style sequence of which such footwear benefits from excellent
flexibility properties; (3) direct injection moulding, which
Children’s footwear featured three distinct styles of the
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to reduce the final price of the end product, such examples leather with textile and synthetic leather combinations.
included textile, Gore-Tex (a waterproof/breathable fabric One apparent aspect is the uptake of membrane materials
based on expanded polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) and like Gore-Tex that have thus far been primarily incorpo-
other fluoropolymer products) and synthetic leather. rated in children’s sports shoes.
width of the shoe at the instep. This applies to shoelaces as shoes in shops. Children’s footwear within the frame of
well, followed by a lacing and zip combination. Laces toe allowance in EU shoe sizes 22 and 25 guarantees suffi-
combined with Velcro were a rarer hybrid form. cient growing room for healthy development of children’s
foot, while in size 30 approximately only a half of child-
ren’s footwear available on the market does the same. The
3.2.7. Footwear upper height
study shows that periodically checking the foot measure-
The heights of the upper of the rated footwear were ments of children is an absolute necessity, as is buying
defined under two categories low shoes (22 38%, footwear with sufficient growing room in length. This
25 30% and 30 66%) and ankle boots (22 62%, would ensure comfortable shoes suitable for the growing
25 70% and 30 34%), of which the latter was more feet of children, while preventing possible deformities
prevalent. It can be stated that all-year-round walking that may occur primarily in the forefoot. In addition, the
shoes for children designed in this ankle footwear manner shoes currently available on the market are sold in several
are considered most suitable in terms of health, such size systems, which are not uniform, thus complicating
height of the upper leg above the ankle providing the best the matter of choosing suitable shoes if an experienced
support for the foot in the shoe. shop assistant is not involved in the selection process. In
particular, it is children that should be provided with
high-quality, comfortable footwear, designed for their
3.2.8. Heel height
specific needs. Shoe manufacturers should focus on con-
The heel height or pitch (Figure 8) for children should not struction of front part of a last.
exceed the value of 25 mm; more than 25 mm is unaccept-
able from the point of healthy development of plantar arch
Acknowledgements
(Dungl, 2014). The heel heights observed in our selection
The authors gratefully acknowledge our teacher, supervisor and
ranged between 5 and 25 mm, most of them were 15 mm
colleague world-wide known shoe expert associated professor
(22 40%, 25 46% and 30 57%). Petr Hlavacek (in memoriam) for his personal support and
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