Not too hot, yet not too cold — it can difficult to maintain a comfortable feeling in your footwear. Our Goodyear-welted shoes are made entirely of leather, which helps keep your feet feel comfortable. They also prevent foot odor and athlete's foot, and help keep you from catching a cold.
Up until recently, shoe retailers paid little attention to their customers' well-being and foot health. What do we mean when we say 'comfortable feeling', and why is it important?
Ideal shoe temperature prevents foot odor
After evaluating data from 40 studies conducted worldwide, the Footwear Division at W.L. Gore & Associates concluded that feet feel most comfortable at temperatures between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius. Other factors affecting foot comfort include moisture entering the shoe from the outside, as well as moisture building inside the shoe (a.k.a foot sweat). Damp feet quickly cool when outside temperatures are low, causing the temperature inside the shoe to fall below the comfort threshold, which subsequently increases the risk of infection. If outside temperatures are too high and the feet begin to sweat, shoe and sock breathability decrease— this 'sauna' effect results in foot odour. Warm feet quickly become damp feet, which then become hot feet. Hot feet in turn cause the temperature inside of the shoe to surpass the comfort threshold, while simultaneously increasing the risk of contracting athlete's foot.
Cheap shoes are glued together, don't breathe, and promote foot odor
Mass-produced discount shoes are made using low-quality materials that cause sweat to build inside the shoe, even at moderate outside temperatures. Unfortunately, it takes a surprisingly long time for the wearer to notice this buildup; by the time he has, his sock is already soaked. This was confirmed by a study held by the Federal Material Research Laboratory. The study found that the upper material and lining used to make cheap shoes are fully sealed by layers of adhesives. These adhesive layers prevent the shoe from breathing. Sometimes additional layers of lining are used, which cause even more moisture to build inside the shoe. Goodyear-welted men's shoes, on the other hand, are made of leather, a natural material with high breathability. The materials used to make these kinds of shoes are stitched, not glued, together. As a result, the shoes last longer and promote healthy feet.
All that being said, maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the shoe is not enough to keep feet healthy. While this does help prevent the wearer from catching a cold, shoe fit is also extremely important. Ill-fitting shoes can cause lasting damage to the wearer's feet and body.
Further Criteria for Quality Shoes
Goodyear-welted Shoes at Shoepassion.com
Handmade Shoes for men & women ★ Various styles & designs ★ High quality ★ Fair & sustainably produced in Europe ★ Exellent value for money ★ Many models on sale
