If the outer sole is neither rubber, plastics, leather, nor composition leather — for example, jute, rope, cork, or certain synthetic composites not meeting the rubber/plastics definition — the footwear may not fit the more specific textile-upper headings and could fall here. The outer sole material should be confirmed with the manufacturer and documented in the entry file.

Classification is based on the article's physical characteristics — materials and construction — not its country of origin. However, manufacturing variations between factories (e.g., different sole compounds or assembly methods) can result in genuinely different classifications for what appears to be the same style. Importers sourcing from multiple countries should request material specifications from each factory and verify classification independently.