Cotton-based Thermoformable Toe Puff Material for Shoe Making

Toe Puff?  Sort of a funny name for something so important for crafting shoes.  

The function of a toe puff is simply to add structure to the toe of a shoe.  There are all sorts of different materials with various properties that can be used for toe puffs.  The choice hinges largely on the type of shoe and the desired structural effect.  

Old school shoe construction calls for the combination of leather (some folks also use newspaper) and natural horse glue to create toe puffs.  It's a time-tested pairing that has worked for centuries, but it can also be time-consuming and messy.  Heat and/or solvent activated plastics have become a mainstay in modern shoe manufacturing because of their cost, consistency, and efficiency.  But, more eco-friendly cotton-based alternatives have been steadily replacing plastic reinforcements with large and well-known shoe manufacturers around the world.  We're proud to now be able to offer it to the maker community. 

We currently offer two options for toe puff material:  individual 8.5" x 11" sheets, and pairs of 3.75" x 7.5" precut pieces.

In the next few months, we are planning to expand the lineup and likely offer materials in different thicknesses and varying degrees of rigidity.

Manufacturer:  Morel (Italy)
Thickness:  0.85mm
Built-in adhesive:  Yes
Heat-activated:  Yes, about 150 degrees (F)
Rigidity:  Low (Soft)
Stretchy:  Yes, while heated
Skivable:  Yes, and it won't gunk up bell skivers... you need a really sharp edge to get a good skive though. Precut Pieces come skived for you!