Athletic Shoes Research

Athletic shoes were originally designed for sports and other types of physical exercises. Today, they have become a pair of shoes that is used for casual everyday activities because they are so flexible, comfortable and fashionable. Athletic shoes have greater expectations than an ordinary pair of shoes. They were made to increase ones health, for running, and leisure. Athletic shoes can be traced back to the ancient Greek. Runners used to compete barefooted until the Romans mandated them to wear thin-soled sandals. The first “All-purposed athletic shoe” was designed in 1900 and it was made from canvas and featured a rubber rim (Kolecki, 2009).

Shoes are one of the essential survival tools because they provide protection to our feet where the balancing and supporting of our physical weight occurs. Not only that, but shoes are also perceived as fashion items. In the current era, the kind of shoes we wear represent who we are and contribute in giving people distinct individualities. However, as looks can be deceiving, these shoes are not as simple as they look when it comes to production, manufacturing, distribution, consumption, disposal, and measurement of their values. In order for these shoes to become products, various actors are involved including: consumers, firms, government, and the workers (Commodity Chains That Bind, 2013).

Athletic shoes are made from different types of raw materials. The sole consist of three different layers; insole, midsole, and outsole. The insole is a thin layer of ethylene vinyl acetate. The midsole varies depending on the manufacturers, usually consists of polyurethane, gel, liquid silicone, or polyurethane foam. It is designed for shock absorption and support of the heel.

And the outsoles are mo...

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...e new technology, those same workers have a skill deficiency and can no longer work (Allick et al. 2000).

A study was made to show the health effects workers are exposed to while working at a shoe factory. Workers are exposed to a number of different chemicals and ergonomic hazards. One of the top symptoms is the musculoskeletal, which is caused because workers are exposed to isocyanates and organic vapors without adequate protection. There is a high exposure from the inhalation of glues and solvents (Todd et al., 2007).

A pair of athletic shoes creates 30 pounds of carbon dioxide discharge, which is the same as keeping a 100-watt light bulb on for a week. The carbon impact comes from powering manufacturing plants. The procedure to making shoes is very energy and carbon intensive. Most of the discharge of carbon monoxide comes from the manufacturing (Soss, 2013).