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However, the waterlogged outer mate-
rial and inner liner would make for an
uncomfortable fit. So, it seems water-
proof protection is more effective when
it’s integrated into a shoe’s construction.
The benefits of adding ePTFE mem-
branes to shoes is that, as referenced
above, the wearer’s feet don’t get wet
when exposed to water, whether that’s
being in a rainstorm, stepping in a pud-
dle, walking through wet grass, or any
other number of scenarios.
Shoe companies still rely somewhat
on the outer layer’s materials to keep out
water, and there are several ways they do
this. If it’s a boot built for more rugged
outdoor pursuits, it’s often made entirely
of leather, which absorbs less water than
fabrics. For shoes that use fabrics on the
exterior, they usually undergo durable
water repellency (DWR) treatments that
cause make water bead up and roll off
the fabrics. These are the same treat-
ments given to textiles for waterproof
jackets. But there are many consumersGore-Tex has fashioned
ePTFE into a multi-
layer insert (left) that
footwear companies
can simply slip into
the shoes they are
manufacturing (below)
waterproof.B
ob Gore used ePTFE to make fabrics and fabric assemblies for
companies that make athletic shoes and clothing. For shoes, ePTFE
(trademarked as Gore-Tex) was packaged as booties that shoe companies
would put between the exterior fabric and an interior liner. The exterior
fabric is usually not waterproof, but the Gore-Tex membrane was and would
keep the wearer’s foot and liner dry.36 MAY 2019 MACHINE DESIGN