Non-Metallic

The question most asked regarding Non Metallic or Composite Footwear is as follows:

What is the difference between steel toe and composite toe footwear?

The most notable difference is that composit toe shoes don't set off metal detectors and are generally much lighter than steel toe shoes.

A steel toe shoe has a piece of steel inside the tip (about 2 1/2 inches) to protect the toes from being crushed if a heavy object falls on the foot

A composite toe shoe has similar toe-protecting reinforcement that is made of a "composite" material like kevlar, carbon fibre, or plastic.
 

The composite material can be used to replace the steel midsole also.