Classifying footwear

When you classify footwear it's significant to recognise what kind of footwear it is and any particular reason it might have.

For classification purposes the top is the part of the shoe that wrappings the edges and top of the foot.

Some of the more widespread types of footwear covered in section 64 are listed underneath:

•    Clogs - generally the uppers are made in one part and are repaired to the soles by rivets. Sometimes clogs are made in a single piece and don't have - or need - a separate, directed outside sole, in which case they're classified according to the material they're made from and not enclosed in this chapter.
•    Espadrilles - these are furthermore called sandy shore footwear and have plaited fibre soles that are no wider than 2.5 centimetres. They don't have heels.
•    Flip-flops - these are also referred to as thongs. The thongs - or straps - are repaired by plugs that secure into apertures in the sole.
•    Hiking or strolling boots - note that these aren't classified as sports footwear.
•    Indian sandals - these have leather outer soles and cowhide tops. The top comprises of straps that traverse the instep and go round the large-scale toe.
Moccasins (American Indian kind) - these use a lone piece of material - conventionally supple cowhide - to pattern both the sole and the top (or part of the top). This makes it difficult to recognise where the outside sole finishes and the upper starts.
•    Neoprene footwear - this is normally used in diving and water sports. If the neoprene top is covered or laminated with textile on both sides, then it's classified as being made of textile. If the top has no textile covering, or it's covered only on one side, then it's classified as being made of rubber.
security footwear - footwear in which the toe caps are made of steel.
•    Sandals - the front part of the top (the vamp) comprises either of straps or of material with one or more pieces slash out of it.
•    Shoes - this period covers footwear, encompassing trainers, that aren't described elsewhere in this guide.
•    Slippers - these encompass mules as well as other inside footwear such as choreography slippers and ballroom promenading footwear. If the outside sole is made of artificial or rubber (approximately 1 cm broad) and then covered by a very slim, insubstantial level of textile material, the slippers are classified as having 'plastic/rubber' outside soles. In some situations, all or part of the plastic or rubber outer sole is enclosed with a wider, more durable textile material which is dashed with polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This is to avert the wearer from slipping. These slippers are classified according to the material that has the most communicate with the ground. If the slipper has a artificial or rubber sole that's enclosed with a textile covering, the slipper can only be classified under heading cipher 6405 if the textile is verified to be durable. The durability of the textile can be proven by submitting the shoe for a martindale abrasion test and checked at 51,000 revolutions.

For help with recognising the different components of an item of footwear, see the page in this direct on characterising footwear.