Have you ever wondered what the difference is between safety footwear that costs less than $100 and those that cost more than $300? While elements like quality of leather, name brand and where it was made factor into the final cost, the largest differentiator is the quality and type of construction.

Foot protection is a general term that covers countless different features of occupation footwear; there’s no one thing that ensures foot protection, but having a boot with the right combination of features and technologies that work together provides the best comfort and protection.

With the influx of new generations of workers, advances in materials science and mounting regulation and litigation on worker safety, the future of industrial footwear is changing. Prognosticating the safety culture of tomorrow, here are five industry predictions on safety footwear between now and 2020:

Members of the new generation workforce have a work hard, play hard mentality. They actively pursue their interests and take pride in their accomplishments.

Criteria for replacing shoes and boots due to excessive wear and tear are very subjective. However, it is recommended to replace all types of industrial footwear every six months and, in some cases, even sooner.