shoe part
Heel counters are strips of material built into shoe uppers as stiffeners, to reinforce the area around the heel, especially against crushing when putting shoes on. The use of a shoe horn serves to guide the heel past the reinforced heel.
The vast majority of everyday and especially outdoor and work shoes contain heel counters. House slippers and other, particularly light shoes may not. However, there are also exceptions to this rule. For example, Red Wing’s classic 877 heavy-leather, moccasin toe work boots have no heel counters.
Materials
Traditionally, heel counters are made of leather. Their edges are skived to feather thickness. The lower parts include lasting allowances, which are inseamed or stitched down with the upper and any lining. As the shoe wears, the leather conforms to the shape of the wearer’s heel.
Modern shoes frequently use thermoplastic, fiberboard, or leatherboard heel counters.
Position
Heel counters may be placed within unlined uppers for direct contact with the foot, between upper and lining, or outside the upper, under a heel counter cover or backstay.