When shoes are made overseas they need to be transported to their final market.  Transportation is the act of moving it, but today I want to talk about importing shoes and import duty.  We wish it was so easy just to put the shoes on a boat and sail them here!  so easy! right?  Nope.

Once your shoe production run is finished the shoes are placed into an ocean freight container.  You have seen these giant boxes.  They are exactly the size of a 40 foot trailer on a semi truck. The standard size is 40 feet by 8 feet by 8 feet and holds about 5000 pairs.  There is the half size  20 footer and the Extra Large 40 foot High Cube (about 1 foot taller than the standard 40.
This is the standard shipping method  FCL (full container load) vs.  LCL less than container load or as loss freight.  Try to avoid LCL as it’s more expensive and takes longer and merchandise is not protected as well as when sealed in a metal shipping container.
Once your shoes are in the container they will be trucked to the freight harbor and delivered. This is handed by the Freight forwarder or the factories Freight forwarder.  The Freight forwarder is the company that arranges shipping and handles the export and import documentation.   They are responsible for passing the shipping documents to Customs officials of the exporting and importing countries. The forwarder contacts the shipping lines and schedules your container to meet the vessel traveling to your import harbor.
Because ocean shipping from china to the USA takes 15 to 20 days the forwarder has time to get your import documents processed before your shipment lands.

Shoe import duty depends on the country of origin and the destination country.   I’m going to talk about the import duty regulations for importing shoes from China to the USA.  The rules to classify shoes are common while each importing country may have different duties.

Minimize Import Duty Charges 
and Avoid Costly Errors
To avoid customs clearance delays and costly fees, footwear designers, developers, and brand managers must understand the import duty regulations for shoes. 

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For a shoe to be imported first it must be  “Classified” this tells the US government what you want to import and tell you what the import duty is.  A large shoe company will have an inhouse import specialist that will review the shoes  and assign the classifications.  It’s very important for you to know the duty classification as the duty must be added to your shoe price.  We call this “landing” or the “Landed Price”  This includes all the freight charges and the importing duty.
A quick word about the shipping.  This isn’t hard to hard calculate.  The container rate, document fees and inland transport divided into the number of shoes in the container.  For a full container load of 500 pairs  in a 40 foot container  the shipping from China to the West coast of the USA is around $.75 cents per pair..

Your shoes must be “Classified” according to the HTS or the USA “Harmonized Tariff Schedule” This is a huge book over 8 inches thick!  But you can use the PDF HERE or look the search from the USA HTS web site. to classify your shoes.  There are many sections for shoes, it’s complicated and can be a little daunting but I’m here to help.  For the common shoes types there are only a few HTS codes you need to know.    Now some the rules may seem a little nuts but that’s how it goes.    Why do Snowboarding boots have ZERO duty?   Because the Senator from Vermont knows Jake Burton and they figured it out.

 
https://vimeo.com/835921862

This online course will teach you the footwear classification rules, important HTS codes, and tariff regulations.

The Shoe Dog will tell you all about! 

Once you shoe is classified you can assign it’s HTS code to the shipping documents so the US customs officials can send you the bill.  Actually your freight forwarder will add this to your customs clearance invoice.   The HTS is a 10 digit code – like this  6402.19.05.30

6402.19.05.30 is for Men’s Golf shoes Imported at 6%  You can check for yourself here.

Shoe classification are based on material, function, gender, size, construction and it’s value. When reviewing a shoe you need to consider it’s majority material (over 51%).  Is it natural leather? or made from R/P “Rubber plastic”.    Leather shoes are 8.5% to 10% Duty (based on the FOB price).   So a suede leather skate shoe would be 8.5%.

The same design made from  R/P or synthetic materials would be 20% +.90 cents if it’s price is less than USD $12.50!   Or it’s more than $12.50 just 20%.

If you are a shoe designer, developer or Product manager need to know this stuff!   Maybe adding $.05 cents to a shoe price can save you +.90 cents in duty.

As a shoe designer or Product manager you should sit down with your import classification specialist and get to know how this works in detail.  When planning your product line designing duty efficient shoes can save your company big bucks and deliver less duty payments to the US government and more value to your customers!

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As a shoe designer or developer, you’re going to need some shoemaking tools to help you do your job. I have created a list of the common shoe designer tools that we use every day in our busy shoe design and development office.  Some of these tools are specific to shoemaking, others are commonly found. In fact, almost all of these shoemaking tools can be found on Amazon.com.
Of course, you will need computers and drawing equipment but here is a list of the shoe designer tools that you might not commonly have but that you certainly need.

The Pantone color specification book is required for every shoe designer and developer. You will need to have a Pantone color book to communicate with the shoe factory and your customers exactly what color you want. The Pantone corporation color books are the industry standard for color matching.  You will find that every shoe factory will have a Pantone book so it’s easy for you to reference a color.  Without the Pantone book, it’s almost impossible to match colors correctly with your overseas factories.  They are expensive, you can share one in your office.  This is a must-have shoe designer’s tool.  You can get these from Amazon.

A small steel ruler is very useful for measuring all the shoe parts.  Make sure that the end of the ruler is cut off so it starts at zero so you can measure the inside of the shoe collar height by pushing the ruler into the bottom of the shoe.

A Leatherman multi-tool is a very useful piece of equipment with its blades for slicing open seams and its pliers for taking parts off. The serrated blade and saw blade are very useful for cutting sections out of sample shoes.

Shoemaking lasting pliers are also a very useful tool to have around.  In the shoe factory, they are used to pull the edges of the material down on the last and then tack it down with a hammer part.  As a developer, you will often use this tool to pull a shoe apart and see what’s inside.

A gram scale is a very useful tool in the creation of high-tech performance footwear. We quite often will have issues with subcomponents and measure each piece, part by part, to make sure that we’re making the lightest piece of footwear we can make.

We always have a flexible measuring tape on hand for measuring around shoe lasts and for measuring different shoe components. A flexible measuring tape is very useful for measuring feet and ankles.

A Durometer tester is used to test the hardness of any rubber or plastic shoe component.  For testing shoe rubber and plastic you need a Shore scale “A” tester. The Durometer tester’s bottom measuring pin is simply pressed against the material. The Durometer tester will give you a reading of the density of the material. Try to test in flat spots and take several readings for each shoe part you are checking.

An Asker “C” scale  Durometer tester is used to test the hardness of any foam shoe components. The Durometer tester will give you a reading of the density of the material. Try to test in flat spots, take several readings for each shoe part you are checking. For foam, try to cut the parts so you can test the center of the foam. EVA foam skin may give you a harder reading. A standard EVA midsole may be  55˚,   a soft footbed 35˚.

A set of adjustable dividers is very useful in designing and developing footwear. We use the dividers to check critical measurements of lasts and different components that may be hard to reach. A pair of dividers is a very useful tool when comparing dimensions from one sample to another. For working on oversize boot lasts you will need a set.

A pair of dial calipers or digital calipers is also very useful in making shoes. We use calipers every day to measure the width of small shoe components.

A Brannock device.  You’ve seen this tool in every shoe store. This is the standard for measuring feet. If you’re developing footwear, you must have a Brannok device in your office.  When a tester says a shoe fits loose or tight, the first thing you need to do is measure their feet against the machine.  Also, use your flexible measuring tape to measure feet.

An X-Acto knife is also an indispensable tool for cutting material swatches, for opening up shoes and cutting open seams. A very sharp hobby knife is a useful tool.

A 3-D printer can also be a very useful tool in the shoe development office. The 3-D printer can quickly create small plastic pieces that you might use for lace pulls or hardware. We have found the small 3-D printer is very practical and saves time and money.  The new 3-D printers can also print with flexible plastic materials. With the larger machine, you can also print outsole components.

A micrometer is a very helpful tool to have in your shoe development office.   We use this for checking the thickness of leather products or any synthetic material.  We use a micrometer almost every day to confirm that the materials in the sample shoe match the product specification.

A profile gauge is nice to have around when you are checking lasts. It’s useful for checking complex curves quickly.  While not a common tool,  we use this when we are working up a new last or checking that a midsole is following the last bottom curve correctly.

You can buy most of these tools here: Amazon.

In this article, we will discuss the difference between vulcanized shoe construction and cold cement shoe construction. Vulcanized shoe construction is a much older technology. In the 1980s, modern cold cement construction replaced vulcanized construction. However, fashions change and the vulcanized shoe made a huge comeback in 2010.

Cold cement construction allows the use of modern lightweight plastic, foam, and mesh materials due to the lower temperatures required for bonding. Every modern high-performance athletic shoe for running, basketball, etc… is made by the cold cement process. This is how Nike makes shoes.
The vulcanized shoe construction process is the classic way to make a sneaker. This is how Converse All-Stars and Vans skate shoes are made. Due to the high temperature required to vulcanize, or cook the rubber outsole, the material options are limited. Canvas and suede leather are common.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZwW86sYnlQ

The Shoe Dog would like to tell you about how vulcanized shoes are made.
Have a look!  

The Shoe Dog would like to tell you about the difference between vulcanized construction and cold cement process. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpGKmKqcjPg

Cold Cement Shoe Assembly Process:

In the cold cement process, the shoe upper can be paired with a Strobel bottom. For this classic jogger style, the outsole covers the edge of the upper so a Strobel bottom will make the shoe lighter and more flexible.

The upper is steamed to soften the materials and the last is inserted and pulled tight. Once the last is tight inside the upper, a second lasting machine pulls the heel edge. With the last secured inside the upper, temporary shoelaces are pulled tight and the upper is cooled so it shrinks to the last.

The shoe may have a plastic or fabric part installed on top of the tongue to protect the surface from damage and drift during the lasting operations.

While the upper is being lasted, the sole unit is being prepared. In this case,  a rubber sheet sole is combined with an EVA foam cushioning component and cemented inside. This is done in a separate process that’s called stock fitting.

In this article, we will discuss the difference between vulcanized shoe construction and cold cement shoe construction. Vulcanized shoe construction is a much older technology. In the 1980s, modern cold cement construction replaced vulcanized construction. However, fashions change and the vulcanized shoe made a huge comeback in 2010.

Cold cement construction allows the use of modern lightweight plastic, foam, and mesh materials due to the lower temperatures required for bonding. Every modern high-performance athletic shoe for running, basketball, etc… is made by the cold cement process. This is how Nike makes shoes.
The vulcanized shoe construction process is the classic way to make a sneaker. This is how Converse All-Stars and Vans skate shoes are made. Due to the high temperature required to vulcanize, or cook the rubber outsole, the material options are limited. Canvas and suede leather are common.

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Shoe Sole Cementing

Now that the upper is tightly lasted and the outside unit is complete, the two pieces can come together. The rubber sole unit will receive a coating of primer and cement. The outsole will get its own special primer designed for EVA and rubber. The shoe upper is also prepared with its own special primer and cement.
After the contact cement and primer have dried in the heating tunnels, the two pieces are joined together by hand. A skilled worker aligns the upper and outsole together, then places the shoe in a hydraulic press.
The shoe will go through three pressing operations, usually, they are all done with one machine. A vertical press, toe and heel press, and side press. This ensures there is full contact between the upper and outsole. Once the shoe is pressed together it’s often put in the cooling tunnel to set the glue.
After the cooling tunnel a shoe de-lasting machine is used to push the last out of the shoe without wrinkling the upper.
Now the sneaker is complete and the worker can insert the footbed. The footbed may be molded EVA with a fabric cover or flat, sheet-cut foam. The flat, die-cut footbed is usually cemented inside the shoe, while molded footbeds are most often removable.
The new sneaker is ready for the final QC inspection, a quick check for any loose threads, cleaning, packing, and shipping.

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Board Lasting Operations

In vulcanized construction, the last must be aluminum to survive the oven temperature. Metal lasts also heat up and cool down quickly. The first step is to lightly cement the lasting board to the bottom of the last, just enough to hold it in place during the lasting operation. The lasting board is a paper fiberboard that provides stiffness to the finished shoe.

Lasting boards are made from different materials and can be stiff or flexible, thin, or thick. Now, the last and upper are taken to the lasting machine. The toe lasting machine pulls the upper down onto the last and securely bonds the two parts together in one operation. Once the shoe heel and waist of the shoe are lasted, the upper is ready for the outsole.

The first step of the vulcanized outsole assembly process is similar to the cold cement process. The upper and the rubber sole parts all receive their coating of primer and cement. Now, the rubber bottom with the cushioning wedge is bonded together with the upper.

The foxing tape covers the rubber outsole part and overlaps up onto the upper. The foxing tape must cover 5mm of the upper to have a solid bond. The shoe can now have the extra toe tape added, then a rear logo will be applied to cover the joining seam.

With the tape applied, it is time to rip off any extra rubber using a hot knife and to make sure there are not any gaps. The sole will get a quick pressing to make sure the parts are fitting correctly.

The Vulcanizing Oven

With the last still inside, the shoe is placed on a steel rack so it can be wheeled onto the oven.
The shoe will be “cooked” in the vulcanizing oven for several hours. The shoe is heated long enough for the uncured foxing tape and the sole unit to fuse together.

After cooling, the shoe last is removed, the footbed is inserted, and the laces are attached.

The shoes are now ready for final inspection, cleaning, and packing.

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What is inside your shoes? A quick lesson on shoe reinforcements

All the hidden parts inside your shoes that you cannot see are critically important to the look and function of the shoe. The most common shoe reinforcements are the toe counter (or puff), vamp reinforcement, heel counter, and eyestay reinforcement.
The stiffness or softness of these shoe reinforcement parts will determine if your shoe is a pliable, comfortable dress shoe or a trail-ready hiking boot.

Toe Puff

The toe counter or toe puff can be made of a non-woven polyester fabric saturated with a heat formable plastic. The material is die-cut from flat sheets to fit the shoe pattern and layered inside the shoe between the lining and the outer material. This material often has a heat activated cement on the surface.
When the shoe upper is processed, during stitching and before the Strobel bottom is sewn on, the toe counter is heat formed. The front of the shoe is placed in a heater for a few minutes then the upper is clamped into a cooling fixture with a shaped metal form to set the toe shape.

Heel Counter

The heel counter can be made by the same process and with similar but thicker materials that come in many different grades. The materials made by Texon and TecnoGi contain heat-moldable Surlyn plastic. For a better fit, a shoe factory may use a 3D injected plastic part instead of the sheet cut goods. For less expensive shoes, a material called chemi-sheet can be used.  Chemi-sheet is a solvent activated material, it is functional but can crack. It is cheaper but not as good as the Surlyn plastic heel counters.
The eyestay reinforcing material is called Super-Tuff.  Super-Tuff is often found reinforcing punched hole eyelets or riveted eyelets on shoes. This material is a thin, non-woven laminated fabric that can be cut but is very difficult to tear. The name says it all!

Vamp Reinforcement

The vamp reinforcement is often a thin layer of polyester fabric with adhesive backing. Placed on the vamp area, this material will stop the wearer’s toe from stretching the material or even stop a toenail from wearing through.
For more information check out  http://www.Texon.com and www.Tecnogi.com. Both make a wide range of reinforcement products for athletic and fashion shoes.  Learn more about shoemaking and materials in our books How Shoes Are Made and the  Shoe Materials Design Guide available in softcover or download editions so you can start reading today.

What is inside your shoes? A quick lesson on shoe reinforcements

All the hidden parts inside your shoes that you cannot see are critically important to the look and function of the shoe. The most common shoe reinforcements are the toe counter (or puff), vamp reinforcement, heel counter, and eyestay reinforcement.
The stiffness or softness of these shoe reinforcement parts will determine if your shoe is a pliable, comfortable dress shoe or a trail-ready hiking boot.

Toe Puff

The toe counter or toe puff can be made of a non-woven polyester fabric saturated with a heat formable plastic. The material is die-cut from flat sheets to fit the shoe pattern and layered inside the shoe between the lining and the outer material. This material often has a heat activated cement on the surface.
When the shoe upper is processed, during stitching and before the Strobel bottom is sewn on, the toe counter is heat formed. The front of the shoe is placed in a heater for a few minutes then the upper is clamped into a cooling fixture with a shaped metal form to set the toe shape.

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Heel Counter

The heel counter can be made by the same process and with similar but thicker materials that come in many different grades. The materials made by Texon and TecnoGi contain heat-moldable Surlyn plastic. For a better fit, a shoe factory may use a 3D injected plastic part instead of the sheet cut goods. For less expensive shoes, a material called chemi-sheet can be used.  Chemi-sheet is a solvent activated material, it is functional but can crack. It is cheaper but not as good as the Surlyn plastic heel counters.
The eyestay reinforcing material is called Super-Tuff.  Super-Tuff is often found reinforcing punched hole eyelets or riveted eyelets on shoes. This material is a thin, non-woven laminated fabric that can be cut but is very difficult to tear. The name says it all!

Vamp Reinforcement

The vamp reinforcement is often a thin layer of polyester fabric with adhesive backing. Placed on the vamp area, this material will stop the wearer’s toe from stretching the material or even stop a toenail from wearing through.
For more information check out  http://www.Texon.com and www.Tecnogi.com. Both make a wide range of reinforcement products for athletic and fashion shoes.  Learn more about shoemaking and materials in our books How Shoes Are Made and the  Shoe Materials Design Guide available in softcover or download editions so you can start reading today.

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Drawing a Shoe Outsole Blue Print:

The shoe outsole blue print can be the most challenging element of the shoe to design.  A complicated outsole design can take weeks to design and months to model and  tool up.  The shoe outsole must fit the shoe upper correctly to insure the shoe fits and can be assembled neatly,   And of course all the outsole parts must fit together correctly.  Not so simple.  Many shoe technitions help bring your shoe sole to life.
The shoes Rubber sole, EVA midsole and uppers are each made by a different process and can even be made in a different factory across town.  And this must be done right.  A complete size run of 14 sizes of outsole/Midsole tools could be over  $100,000.00 to construct.
The outsole blue print shows every detail of the construction.    You can see the design details and the material notes.

Required Blue Print Views:

1. Shoe Medial side view
2. Sole Bottom view
3. Shoe Lateral side view
4. Outsole Cross section down the length
5. Sole unit Top view of the midsole
6. View of left side shoe  (to confirm logos)
7. Toe view of sole
8. Heel view of outsole
9. Cross section at critical points to see shoe details
10. Texture notes or detailed cross sections
11. Shoe Sole Material specs
12. Revision block to show who made drawing changes

9 Shoe Spec building lessons.
2 hours of video instruction.
Create a spec step by step .
Material Design Guide textbook included.

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