Buying Work Boots for the Food Industry

Whether you are responsible for buying work boots for the whole company or have to buy your own work boots as an independent butcher, today there is a wide choice of different kinds of work boots for the food processing industry. There are rubber, PVC, and polyurethane boots. We will help you choose the right work boots for your employees or for yourself.

1. Choice of Material: Do I Go for Boots Made of Rubber, PVC, or Polyurethane?

When you think of work boots for the food processing industry, you probably think of rubber or PVC boots. But have you heard of polyurethane? At Bekina Boots, we work exclusively with NEOTANE, a high-quality polyurethane developed and tested in our own lab.

The 5 main advantages of NEOTANE boots versus rubber and PVC boots:

1. 40 % lighter in weight thanks to the polyurethane structure consisting of small air bubbles. You experience more comfort while wearing them and are less likely to suffer from tired legs at the end of a hard workday.
2. A flexible material that offers great freedom of movement and comfort.
3. Extra protection against cold temperatures. NEOTANE has a high thermal insulation value, which keeps your feet warm even in extremely cold conditions. The optimal air circulation in the boot also ensures you don’t get sweaty feet.
4. Stronger and more durable so you don’t have to replace our NEOTANE work boots as often, which means you don’t have to buy boots as often. Good for your wallet and more sustainable for the planet.
5. Made from 100% safe components.

Did you know that: Every pair of Bekina work boots is fitted with an RFID tag in the right boot? This allows you to scan, identify and track the boots.

2. Food Safety: is Color Coding Desirable?

In the food processing industry, you want to avoid contamination or contaminated food at all costs. Multiple control systems and a hygiene lock are therefore standard in many food processing companies today. Does your company consist of different departments where cross-contamination has to be avoided? Then go for efficient color coding with our Steplite EasyGrip and StepliteX SolidGrip, available in different colors like white, blue, green, and yellow. Assign each department its own color and avoid cross-contamination.

Are you a self-employed butcher with your own shop? Then a good pair of Bekina Boots work boots in one color will suffice. Go for white so you can check if your work boots are really clean after cleaning.

Did you know that: the shaft and sole of our boots for the food processing industry fit seamlessly together so that no dirt can get stuck behind an edge? And the sole profile of our boots is designed to be very easy to clean? Two extra assets in a sector where safety and hygiene go hand in hand.

3. Thermal Insulation Value: How Cold is the Working Environment?

Men and women working in a food processing plant or a butchery often work in refrigerated areas all day. Dressing warmly is a must, and that includes a good pair of thermally insulating boots. After all, cold feet cause your body to cool down faster, which is anything but comfortable.

Our Steplite EasyGrip and StepliteX SolidGrip guarantee warm feet down to -4 °F and -22 °F, respectively. They are therefore very popular as standard work boots for the food processing industry. For those who have to brave even colder temperatures, StepliteX ThermoProtec -40 °F and Thermolite IceShield -58 °F offer extra warmth.

4. Safety: is Extra Protection a Must?

No problem! Our work boots are extensively tested in accredited test labs. They meet the latest international standards in terms of both hygiene and safety and are SRC-certified. SRC stands for Slip Resistant Certified; this test involves testing the sole’s non-slip performance on a ceramic tile moistened with diluted soap solution and on a smooth steel plate with glycerol. Our work boots meet and even exceed all requirements!

All our boots have excellent grip (SRC) to prevent slips and falls. Not only do you feel safer, but the number of work accidents due to slipping is effectively reduced when everyone on the shop floor wears slip-resistant work boots—important because as many as 25% of all accidents with serious injuries are caused by slips, resulting in inability to work. Non-slip Bekina boots prevent this, saving your company additional costs.

All our work boots for the food processing industry also feature a safety toe which provides protection against sharp or heavy falling objects. The Steplite EasyGrip is also available in a version without safety toe cap (O4).

Depending on the color choice, the Steplite EasyGrip and StepliteX SolidGrip are available with a steel toe (S4) and sometimes also with a composite toe cap and safety sole (S5). StepliteX ThermoProtec and Thermolite IceShield come standard with a composite safety top and sole (S5). The steel safety material is replaced by composite because this material does not interfere at all with the metal detectors used in the food processing industry.

5. Comfort: How Do I Avoid Sore Feet and Tired Legs?

When you work in the food processing industry, you often wear your work boots all day long. So they need to fit just as well as a comfortable pair of shoes, because you don’t want to end up with sore feet and tired legs at the end of or halfway through your workday.

We mentioned above that our Bekina Boots work boots are 40 % lighter than rubber or PVC boots. This makes your legs less likely to get tired and makes your workday a lot more enjoyable.

The removable insole also provides extra comfort for your feet. The sole feels soft and provides good shock absorption. Are your boots still in good condition, but you need to replace your insoles? Then you can just replace the sole.

The feel of the boot around your calf is also very important. This should not be too loose, but not too tight either. The shaft of the Steplite EasyGrip is slightly narrower, making it one of the most popular work boots for women. Men with wider calves may prefer the StepliteX SolidGrip, StepliteX ThermoProtec or Thermolite IceShield. Their wider shaft is also perfect for those who wear several layers to protect themselves from cold temperatures. This way, your socks, trousers, overalls, etc. don’t pinch in your work boots and don’t cause discomfort.

Finally, the kick-off spur at the back provides extra convenience when you need to remove your boots during a break or at the end of the workday.

Are you looking for work boots for the food processing industry? Check out our range of boots for men and women on our website.