Stiffener is used to keep the shape of toe and heel of dress shoes.
This thing can be divided into three grades.
The lowest level is plastic. Its specific name is Celastic, which is actually a flaky material in which fabric and plastic are intertwined.
It is very soft originally, and then it can gradually conform to the shape of the shoe last by heating. After cooling, the hardness is very high.
almost all shoes on the market (except some bespoke shoemakers) are reinforced with this material on the toe.
But if you use this in the heel, it’s usually mid-range to low-end brands.
Why Celastic is so prevalent for toe?
Because the connection of Celastic is very convenient and the hardness is enough. It is very important for the toe cap to keep its shape.
So what’s the Stiffener in the heel of high-end sheomakers?
This is the second grade, which is the Leather Board.
Some brands will use Genuine Leather as a promoter about it. In fact, it is the broken skin, that is, the processing waste, which is glued layer by layer. The advantage of this thing compared with Celastic is that it can gradually change its shape after lasting. Simply put, if the heel is used, it can gradually adapt to the shape of your heel (to a certain extent).
The highest grade, of course, is leather, which has better breathability and comfort.
