All custom insoles are manufactured with pretty much the same materials, EVA foam and a hardened plastic to maintain the shape of the insoles. The cost however is influenced more by the design than the materials. With so many different methods for designing the insoles, the consumer should have an opportunity to compare and contrast the various options out there for them. This article will attempt to do just that.

Foam – Easy to use, very long wait – Mid Price

With foam, the customer has to wait for the box to arrive at their home form the manufacturer. They simply make an impression with their feet in the foam and then ship it back to the insoles company to be used in production.

Plaster – Complicated to use, long wait – Expensive

Plaster is one of the, if not the most expensive method. It requires help from a doctor or trained professional to accomplish (unless the customer feels comfortable doing it at home). After the plaster has been applied, dried, and removed, it is shipped to the manufacturer.

Sock – Complicated to use, long wait – Expensive

Like the plaster, the sock is applied by a doctor or trained professional, however in this case almost exclusively so. Once dry, the material is removed and shipped to the manufacturer to be used to produce the person’s insoles.

Pressure Sensor – Reasonable easy to use, short wait – Moderately expensive

The pressure sensor requires operation by someone trained to use it, however this would likely be one of the easiest methods. The customer also must go to a facility to use it, either a shoe store or doctor’s office, and this results in a higher price. However the data is sent to the manufacturer digitally, which eliminates most of the time involved.

Digital Scanner (facility) – Reasonable easy to use, short wait – Moderately expensive

Similar to the pressure sensor, only instead of analyzing the weight distribution of the individual, the scanner simply recreates the shape of the person’s foot digitally.

Digital Scanner (image recognition) – Easy to use, very short wait – Cheap

All the customer needs to do is take several pictures of their feet, they have the option to use a regular digital camera for this, or even their smartphone and then upload them to the manufacturer. This is by far the easiest method and the cheapest as there are no middle men, no waiting, and no shipping required. Just a few photos.

These are the main different insoles manufacturing methods.