EN 12222:1997

Overview - EN 12222:1997 (Footwear standard atmospheres)

EN 12222:1997 is a CEN European Standard specifying standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing of footwear and footwear components. Adopted nationally in some countries (for example as SIST EN 12222:2000), the standard sets out general principles and two defined standard atmospheres to be used when preparing and testing shoes, insoles, uppers, soles and other components. Its purpose is to ensure reproducible, comparable test results by controlling the environmental conditions prior to and during testing.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Definition of conditioning atmospheres: The standard identifies and defines two distinct standard atmospheres used for conditioning and testing footwear and components.
• Purpose of conditioning: Ensures test specimens reach equilibrium so that material properties are not affected by transient moisture or temperature conditions.
• Scope of application: Applies to footwear, individual footwear components and specimens taken from footwear for mechanical, physical and performance tests.
• Reproducibility and comparability: Requires use of the specified atmospheres to allow meaningful comparison between laboratories, production batches and test series.
• General requirements (non-prescriptive): Describes how conditioning should be applied in relation to subsequent tests, including specimen handling and timing, without prescribing test method details (those are covered by specific test standards).

Note: EN 12222 defines the atmospheres and principles rather than prescribing detailed test methods or numerical results. For exact conditioning parameters, refer to the standard text.

Practical applications and users

• Footwear manufacturers: for quality control and to prepare samples consistently before performance and durability testing.
• Component suppliers: to ensure materials such as leather, textiles, foams and rubbers are tested under consistent conditions.
• Testing laboratories: to achieve repeatable results in mechanical, physical and environmental tests on footwear.
• Certification bodies and compliance officers: to harmonize test conditions when assessing conformity to footwear safety/performance standards.
• R&D teams: to evaluate material behavior and product development under standardized atmospheres.

Using EN 12222 helps reduce variability caused by temperature and humidity, improving the reliability of strength, flexibility, abrasion, and other footwear tests.

Related standards

• EN 12222 complements other CEN/ISO footwear test standards and laboratory test methods used to evaluate mechanical, comfort and safety properties. For reproducible testing, use EN 12222 alongside the specific test standards relevant to the property being assessed.

Keywords: EN 12222, standard atmospheres, conditioning footwear, testing footwear, footwear components, CEN standard, shoe testing, conditioning atmosphere for footwear.