Study of bond strengths of a water-borne polyurethane (PU) adhesive for shoe-soling materials

Abstract The feasibility of the use of water-borne adhesives in shoe manufacture was demonstrated about 10–15 years ago but their use is still limited to a few shoe manufacturers in the developed countries. This study reinforces the effectiveness of water-borne adhesives for sole bonds. The peel strength test is carried out using different types of upper and soling materials. In all cases, a water-borne polyurethane (PU) adhesive is used and the results obtained indicate that the bond strengths are adequate for everyday footwear. The application method and equipment are also found to be almost identical to that of a traditional solvent-borne adhesive. Thus the use of water-borne adhesive may be an alternative approach for sole bonds and this can also eliminate the potential hazards associated with organic solvents.