Technologies - Safety footwear

With our design & development center in Fürth, Germany, as well as our production site in Cagi, Italy, we combine our know-how and resources to always offer you the best technology in safety footwear.

Our in-house expertise in the discipline of biomechanics has most recently enabled us to develop a design approach, the uvex bionom x principle, which optimizes the interaction between foot, shoe and ground for better protection and greater comfort. Most recently, we were able to launch safety footwear that, like athletic shoes, has rebound properties in the sole through our uvex i-PUREnrj material, reducing wearer fatigue.

Midsole with shock absorption and energy-return features, made of foamed polyurethane. This helps the wearer keep fitter for longer and reduces premature fatigue and the risk of injury.

uvex i-PUREnrj technology plus up to 20% recycled polyurethane residues from our in-house production processes. Using recycled material in this way saves resources and reduces waste while maintaining the same level of performance.

The TPU outsole offers maximum performance with increased abrasion resistance of the outsole profile: 66% less abrasion in the standard test than required, up to 33% less abrasion even under double load. Increased slip resistance on wet and slippery floors for even more stability and safety.

The TPU outsole with up to 10% recycled PU granulate provides abrasion resistance and slip resistance on smooth and wet floors.

The unique, breathable and water-resistant knitted upper prevents sweating due to overheating and prevents water entering the shoe from the outside.

Additional sustainability: upper made from 100% recycled PET bottles.

Innovative climate control system that optimises breathability and climate management. The selection of materials, reduced number of layers and intelligent processing technologies all help to draw moisture away from the foot and ensure exceptional wearer comfort.

Leather that protects against water penetration for four times longer than is required by the safety shoe standard.

Absorbent foam in the ankle area provides excellent protection against impacts.

D3O® Metatarsal protection

D3O® is a flexible, cellular material made of "floating" molecules. In its raw state, the material is very flexible. However, upon impact, these molecules have the capacity to bind together and instantly (in less than 10 milliseconds) transform into a solid to absorb and dissipates the generated energy. This reaction is not only immediate but also proportional to the force of impact. The greater the impact, the more the molecules will react, providing the best possible protection. After the impact, the molecules will return to their free-flowing state.

Excellent shock absorption properties
Lightweight: The protective component is thin and lightweight, which does not add much to the overall weight of the safety shoe
Soft, flexible and ergonomically shaped material: The protective component moulds to the shape of the foot, giving the wearer great freedom of movement
Protection fully integrated into the tongue

Toe caps

All safety shoes have a toe cap to provide protection. Safety shoes of the classes S1P and S3 also have a penetration protection. We also use different materials for these two components to ensure the best protection for different areas of use. Toe caps in safety shoes are subjected to a drop test on the one hand and a compression test on the other. In both tests, different minimum heights of the cap must be achieved depending on the shoe size and thus cap size. This is checked using a swaging cylinder, which is placed in the toe cap during the test and pressed in accordingly. In the drop test, the cap must withstand at least 200 joules (usually 20kg is dropped from a height of one meter). In the compression test, the cap must withstand 15,000 Newtons.

Composite toe cap

The uvex xenova® composite toe cap made of a material blend of fibreglass and plastic is 100% metal-free, thermally non-conductive and lightweight. The anatomical shape is slightly thicker, but thus leads to good lateral stability, more toe clearance and an optimal fit.

Steel toe cap

Steel toe caps are robust, somewhat heavier, but can be installed thinner, which allows for narrower shoes overall. However, they can be cold bridges. In the construction industry, they are often a requirement because of their robustness.

Puncture protection

The penetration resistance of safety footwear is determined in the laboratory using a blunt test nail of 4.5mm diameter and a force of 1100 N. Higher forces or thinner nails may increase the risk of penetration. In such cases, alternative preventive measures should be considered.

Two general types of penetration-resistant inserts are currently available in the PPE footwear world. These are metallic and non-metallic materials. Both meet the minimum penetration resistance requirements of the standards marked on the shoe, but each has different additional advantages or disadvantages including the following:

Non-metallic / textile midsoles

Non-metallic midsoles tend to be lighter, more flexible, and cover a larger area compared to metal, but resistance to penetration is influenced more by the shape of the pointed object/hazard (e.g. diameter, geometry, sharpness).

Metallic midsoles

Metallic midsoles are less affected by the shape of the pointed object / hazard (e.g. diameter, geometry, sharpness). Due to limitations in footwear manufacturing, the entire tread of the footwear is not covered. In addition, the metallic penetration protection is heavier than the textile and may form a cold bridge.

The uvex lace lock system uses locking hooks to secure the laces in place and prevent them from coming loose, providing more stability. Just as easily as the laces are tightened, they can also be loosened again by opening the hook, without damaging the laces. The uvex lace lock closure system is compatible with all uvex laces.

Delivering fit solutions purpose-built for performance, the BOA® Fit System consists of three integral parts: a micro-adjustable dial, a super-strong lightweight lace and low friction lace guides.

Fit to perform
Dial in your precise fit quickly and effortlessly. Even micro adjustments can be made quickly and easily, so you can always get the job done.

Confidence in all conditions
The BOA® Fit System is extremely robust and has been tested under the toughest conditions.

Stay secure and focused
BOA®‘s precision engineered laces stay contained in the dial cartridge, out of the way of machinery.

Electrostatic - ESD specificaction

Controlling unwelcome electrostatic charge is becoming an increasingly important role in industry, as more and more employees come into contact with processes, materials or objects which are sensitive to electro static charge.

It is often necessary to use safety footwear as part of a system to conduct electrostatic charge in such workplaces.

Independent of various measuring methods, volume resistance between 100 kiloohms (1.0 × 105 ohms) and 35 megohms (3.5 × 107 ohms) is still required to fulfill the various relevant norms (e. g. EN ISO 20345, EN 61340).

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