Aplication of breathable and odorless lining to orthopaedic shoes

Abstract

The main purpose of this work is to apply new materials and new finishing to improve comfort in orthopaedic footwear associated with orthosis. This desideratum will be reached through the selection and application of advanced materials, such, breathables membranes and fabric finished with anti-fungal and anti-bacteria treatments. In this work, water vapor permeability was evaluated to determine the transport property of water vapor produced by transpiration of the skin. A new lining with breathable membrane and anti-odour finishing has been developed and tested. Water vapor permeability of the new lining was compared with a commercial leather lining, commercial lining with breathable membrane - AquaStopT, breathable membrane and weave fabric. The possibility to use fabrics with anti-odour finishing’s, laminated with a hydrophilic breathable membrane, for lining proposes has been demonstrated. Application of membranes with weave fabric by lamination decreases the breathability of materials, nevertheless, the lining with hydrophilic (LF) membrane and the leather’s lining have similar values for water vapor permeability, with the advantage that LF is impermeable.