DIN EN ISO 17696 Footwear (accredited)

Our test laboratory performs testing according to DIN EN ISO 17696 as an accredited test method to determine the tear strength of footwear uppers, linings and insocks. The material-independent method determines the resistance of a pre-cut material to further tear propagation and is used to assess its suitability for the intended footwear application.

Materials that can be tested include leather, textile fabrics, artificial leather and coated textiles as well as assembled or complete footwear uppers. Where the lining is firmly attached to the upper material, the complete upper assembly is tested. This allows both individual materials and multilayer or assembled constructions to be evaluated.

Testing according to DIN EN ISO 17696

A defined slit is introduced into the specimen, creating two legs. These are clamped in a tensile testing machine, with one leg secured in the lower grip and the other folded through 180° and secured in the upper grip. The grips are then separated at a constant speed until the tear propagates to the edge of the specimen.

Several specimens are tested in each material direction. For sheet materials and leather, testing is carried out in both longitudinal and transverse directions. For leather, orientation is related to the backbone, while for textile materials it is related to warp/weft or machine direction.

From the recorded force-extension curve, the initial peak force, where present, the maximum tear force and the mean force required for tear propagation are determined. The type of failure is also assessed. In addition to normal tear propagation, failure may include separate tearing of a coating and its base fabric, yarn pull-out or tearing across the side of the specimen.

Applications of the test

DIN EN ISO 17696 enables comparative evaluation of the tear resistance of different footwear materials and material constructions. The method is particularly suitable for upper leather, textile upper materials, artificial leather, coated textiles, lining materials and insocks.

Testing in different material directions allows anisotropic behaviour and differences between longitudinal and transverse directions to be evaluated. For assembled footwear uppers, the influence of laminations, linings, membranes, foams, reinforcements, adhesives or other components on the tear behaviour of the complete construction can also be investigated.

The test is therefore particularly relevant to Shoes + Clothing + Accessories and can be used for material selection, product development, comparison of material variants and quality control.

Related tests

In addition to tear strength, the tensile strength and elongation of footwear upper materials can be determined according to DIN EN ISO 17706. Flexing resistance of uppers and linings can additionally be tested according to DIN EN ISO 17694.

For leather, tear load can also be determined according to DIN EN ISO 3377-1 or DIN EN ISO 3377-2, depending on the test objective. For textile fabrics, tear force can additionally be determined according to DIN EN ISO 13937-2.

Here you will also find an overview of our range of tests according to DIN, CEN and ISO standards.