Graphene-enhanced foam Woven uppers breakthrough Traceability back to the farm Clarks sparks a billionaire's interest
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WORLD FOOTWEAR • ISSUE TWO 2021• VOLUME 35 No.2
Graphene-enhanced foam
Woven uppers breakthrough
Traceability back to the farm
Clarks sparks a billionaire’s interest
WF CONTENTS ISSUE ONE 2021
Head office
36 Crosby Road North, Liverpool L22 4QQ, UK
Telephone: +44 151-928 9288
Email: wl@worldtrades.co.uk
Editor Stephen Tierney
Contents
Front cover
WORLD FOOTWEAR • ISSUE TWO 2021• VOLUME 35 No.2
Deputy editor Clare Grainger
The Trailfly Ultra G 300 Max shoe from
Consultant editor David Buirski
Inov-8, one of a number of styles the
Technical editor Philip Lattaway brand has developed using graphene-
Assistant content developer Charlotte Robson enhanced foam. Image: Inov-8
Contributors Penny Leese
Sergio Dulio
2. News map
Highlights from around the world of
Stuart Cleaver
footwear. For news on footwear matters
Design Tim Button every day, go to footwearbiz.com, the
Global sales manager Jo Tait best news website in the business.
Accounts Lisa Fabian-Smith
Subscriptions manager John Collins
4. Footprints
People making footprints in the
Publisher & CEO Simon Yarwood
industry, including designers, industry
leaders and famous footwear lovers.
Graphene-enhanced foam
Woven uppers breakthrough
6. Industry & innovation Traceability back to the farm
Clarks sparks a billionaire’s interest
Details of innovations from suppliers
and service providers across the globe.
8. Backtrack
Headlines from footwearbiz.com,
where you can find news every day
Materials, Manufacturing from the global footwear industry.
& Innovation
10. A growing market
Demand for plant-based materials is
p10
growing. Developments such as
Susterra show that there is no need for
compromise on performance.
Sales offices
Global sales manager: Jo Tait 14. From linear to circular
World Trades Publishing
Tel: (+44) 741 598 9103 Covid-19 interrupted shoe
E-mail: jo@worldtrades.co.uk manufacturing and also brought to light
the potential problem of over-
India: S Sankaran
production and over-consumption.
106 Vepery High Road, Periamet,
Chennai 600 003 Circular solutions are required.
Tel: 25386566 Fax: 91 44 24612685
Email: indianleather@vsnl.net
18. Shoes and the virus
Mexico: Gennaro de la Garza A public body in Valencia has
Calle Schubert 520, Col. Leon Moderno,
commissioned Inescop to carry out
Leon, GTO. C.P. 37480
Tel: +52 477 712 1882 research on the best ways to stop
Fax: +52 477 712 1882 footwear from spreading the
Email: genarodelagarza@hotmail.com or covid-19 virus.
delagarzagenaro@yahoo.com.mx
Pakistan: Abdul Rab Siddiqi 20. Woven-in options
Office M – 2, DADA Garden,
Jamaluddin Afghani Road, A technological breakthrough from
Sharfabad, Karachi – 74800 Texon offers ‘zonal’ functionality in a
Tel: 021-34893095 single sheet of material for woven
Mobile: 0333-2323166 p18
Email: arsidiqi@yahoo.com
footwear uppers.
WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021
WF CONTENTS ISSUE ONE 2021
22. Colour release Advertiser’s Index
Desma and BASF have developed a
single process for adding colour and an Company Name Page
effective release agent to direct-
moulded PU soles.
Desma 13
Athletic & Outdoor 28. Shoes that go the DuPont Susterra BC
distance
A split-toed carbon plate is one of the Footwearbiz IBC, 9
24. The magic of graphene
features of a running shoe that Swedish
There is talk everywhere of carbon brand Craft claims is ideal for athletes
plates in running shoes, but UK brand Milspeed 23
competing over extreme distances.
Inov-8 has decided to focus instead on
“wonder material” graphene. SilvaTeam 17
Texon 27
p28
p30
Safety & Work Shoes
30. Worthy winners @WTPworldfootwear
A review of the work and safety shoe
styles that were among the winners in @WTPworldfootwear
the German Design Awards 2021.
linkedin.com/showcase/
wtpworldfootwear
Safety & Work Shoes @WTPworldfootwear
32. Pride of place
World Trades Publishing 2021.
Traceable hide supplier Spoor and Danish
Contributions: The editor welcomes news items,
shoe brand Roccamore are celebrating a articles and photographs for consideration and
successful tie-up offering footwear that possible publication but no responsibility can be
they can trace back to the farm. accepted for the loss or non-publication of such
material. Opinions expressed by individual
contributors do not necessarily reflect the view of the
editor or publisher.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy in
36. Clarks and the reproduction, no responsibility can be accepted for
the technical content or for claims made by
Chinese billionaire manufacturers for product performance that are
LionRock completed its acquisition of a published. Publication in World Footwear cannot be
controlling stake in Clarks in March, but construed as an endorsement for a claim or product
by the publisher.
not before one of the biggest names in
World Footwear is published 4 times per year by
clothing and footwear in China took a World Trades Publishing, 36 Crosby Road North,
major stake in LionRock. Liverpool L22 4QQ, England. Price UK £80, ROW
£135 per year (four issues). Credit cards will be
charged in GB Pounds converted at the daily bank
38. Katie Greenyer rate. Your credit card company may charge you for
this service. Graphic origination by WTP. Print by
gives back Bishops Printers, Walton Road, Portsmouth,
The creative director of Pentland Brands Hampshire PO6 1TR, England. All rights reserved.
ISSN 0894-3079.
supports a programme that seeks to
World Trades Publishing 2021.
convince young people from ordinary
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
backgrounds that they, too, can work in
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
shoe design. transmitted in any form or by any means mechanical,
electronic, recording, photocopying or otherwise,
p38 without the written permission of the publisher.
40. Essential reading
ISSUE TWO 2021 | www.footwearbiz.com 1
WF NEWS KEEP UP-TO-DATE, EVERYDAY AT WWW.FOOTWEARBIZ.COM
POLAND Retail group JD Sports has entered into a conditional
News agreement to acquire a 60% share of Marketing Investment Group (MIG), a
retailer of sports footwear, apparel and accessories based in Poland.
Brothers Andrzej and Zbigniew Grzaka founded MIG in Krakow in 1989. It
has grown into a network of 410 stores and associated websites across
nine countries in central and eastern Europe.
SPAIN The countries main footwear industry body FICE GERMANY LVMH-backed private equity firm
has announced that it will run a programme called Global L Catterton recently agreed a deal to purchase family-
Through Innovation for a second time. The programme owned, German footwear group Birkenstock for about
seeks to help footwear brands expand their businesses in €4 billion. Birkenstock’s new owners will pursue growth
global markets through embracing new technology, in China and India, as well as expand its e-commerce
including automation in production and e-commerce and direct-to-consumer business, the company said in
platforms. It ran the same project last year, helping brands a statement.
including Panama Jack, Ria Menorca and Eli 1957 adopt
new tools. The new edition of the project started in April.
ITALY Footwear and accessories brand Valentino has
said it is confident of being able to deliver thousands of
FRANCE Sporting goods retail and manufacturing group pairs of shoes from its spring-summer 2021 collection on
Decathlon has announced a new agreement with the time and fulfil the orders it has received in spite of a fire at
National Basketball Association (NBA), under which it will its production facility in Tuscany. A fire on April 2 at an
become an official NBA licensee in Africa, Asia, Europe, the industrial estate at Levane, between Arezzo and Florence,
Middle East and Latin America. This is the first time caused extensive damage to a number of factories,
Decathlon has entered into an agreement of this kind with including the Valentino Shoes Lab.
any of the major North American sports leagues. The
partnership will feature a dedicated range of NBA team and
league-branded baselayers, accessories and footwear
(from selected brands).
TANZANIA Entrepreneur and former politician Rostam
Abdulrasul Aziz has opened what local media in Tanzania
have called the biggest leather-processing facility in
SOUTH AFRICA A delegation
Africa. The country has 34 million head of cattle and
from South Africa’s Department of
21 million goats. Its current annual demand for shoes is
Trade and Industry has given an update
38 million pairsr, but Tanzania produces only 1.2 million
on its “master plans” that are aimed at
pairs per year on home soil.
facilitating industrial development and
job creation in various sectors of the
South African economy. One of the ETHIOPIA Organisers of the XXXVI IULTCS Congress and the fifth World
main focus areas is leather footwear. Leather Congress have announced that these will run as hybrid events. Both events
The value chain of the Retail, Clothing, will take place in Addis Ababa from November 1-5 this year. Africa Leather and
Textiles, and Leather Footwear Master Leather Products Institute (ALLPI), in conjunction with the government of Ethiopia,
Plan is now estimated at R74 billion said that running them as hybrid events would offer participants “the choice of
(£3.6 billion), and the plan is projected how they prefer to attend”. With the backdrop of mounting covid-19 pandemic-
to create 212,000 jobs, 120,000 of related restrictions, the organisers said the hybrid mode will allow those who are
which will come from the retail sector. unable to attend in person to be able to participate from anywhere in the world.
2 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021
WF NEWS KEEP UP-TO-DATE, EVERYDAY AT WWW.FOOTWEARBIZ.COM
JAPAN As a follow-up to its US Sports group adidas has confirmed
summer 2020 Camping Supply its decision to sell the Reebok brand and
collection, Converse Japan has now has begun a formal process to divest
released three footwear designs, itself of the brand. Adidas acquired
CHINA Leather and Hide Council of accompanied by a wallet, sacoche and Reebok in 2006. It said it had carried out
America (LHCA) has announced the cinch bag by Gregory Mountain an assessment of strategic alternatives
winners for China of its 2021 student Products. The QAK CP (an updated for Reebok as part of its development of
design competition. LHCA organised the version of Converse’s QUAKE outdoor a wider five-year strategy. Chief
competition in partnership with the shoe, first released in 1992) is available executive, Kasper Rorsted, said: “We
China Leather Industry Association. in two colourways, dark navy and dark have come to the conclusion that
More than 400 students at seven beige, along with the RSS CP FR shoe Reebok and adidas will be better able to
participating universities in different (a new take on the cross-training realise their growth potential
parts of the country took part in the RESISTOR shoe from 1995) in silver. independently of each other.” He said the
competition. Gold winners in each of Both styles feature outdoor group would work in the coming months
the competition’s three categories were: specifications. “to ensure a successful future for the
Zhen Wang, Beijing Institute of Fashion Reebok brand and the team behind it”.
Technology, for footwear; Yuying Gan,
Tsinghua University, for garments; and
Shanshan Yang, Beijing Institute of
Fashion Technology, for accessories.
BRAZIL Brazil’s national standards
body ABNT is discussing possible
changes to one of the standards it has
PAKISTAN Leather industry exports HONG KONG Apparel and in place for shoe comfort. ABNT has set
from Pakistan brought in $567.4 million footwear group VF Corporation up a committee to work on standards
in the first eight months of the current has announced that it will move relating to footwear and at an online
financial year, July 2020 to February the centre of its brand operations March meeting it discussed possible
2021. This represents a fall of 4.2% in Asia from Hong Kong to Shanghai. changes to standard 14836, which
compared to the figure for the same The group said it already employs governs plantar pressure distribution.
months in the previous financial year. around 900 office and retail associates
Figures for footwear show exports over in Shanghai. Its Asia product supply
the eight-month period of 11.5 million hub will also move away from Hong
pairs, bringing in revenues of Kong, relocating to Singapore. It will
$88 million. This indicates an increase also set up a shared service centre for
in volume of 11.7%, but a fall in value
SOUTH KOREA Farfetch-owned,
the region in Kuala Lumpur. VF said the
New York-based sneaker and
of 6.2%. moves will begin in April and continue
streetwear marketplace Stadium Goods
over the next 12 to 18 months.
has launched in South Korea, the
company’s first venture outside the US.
INDONESIA Business information provider IHS Markit has registered a reading Opening as a store-within-a-store
of 52.2 on its purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for Indonesia for January, up from concept inside Fred Segal in the Asian
51.3 in December. The organisation said this reading was among the best it has country’s upmarket Galleria department
recorded for Indonesia in the last decade. It said confidence in the Indonesian store, which will hold exclusive
economy at the start of 2021 was at its highest in four years. The government has domestic rights to the sale of Stadium
said it expects the manufacturing sector in Indonesia to grow by 4% this year. Goods merchandise within Korea.
ISSUE TWO 2021 | www.footwearbiz.com 3
WF FOOTPRINTS HAPPENINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES
Footprints
JOBS REBOUND IN
BRAZIL’S FOOTWEAR
SECTOR
Brazil’s footwear industry had a
combined workforce of 265,900 people
at the end of February. Industry body
Abicalçados said this represented a fall
of 6.4% compared to the same period a
year ago, but it said the total was up by
18,600 since the end of 2020.
Executive president, Haroldo
Ferreira, said he thought the recovery of
employment in the early part of this year
was important. “It’s a sign of the
recovery the footwear industry began to
experience in the final months of last
year,” he said. “It’s most likely to be a
reaction to restocking activities in retail.” SINGER BEBE REXHA TEAMS UP WITH PUMA
AND DEICHMANN
ITALY’S SHOE PRODUCTION Retail group Deichmann has signed up with Puma and singer Bebe Rexha
FELL BY 25% IN 2020 to launch a new capsule collection comprising two styles of sneakers and
Turnover and production in the Italian three bags.
footwear industry fell approximately a It has called it the Power Collection and will market it using the slogan
quarter in 2020 as the effects of the #WhateverSuitsYou.
covid pandemic and subsequent It said the collection was characterised by a “timeless simplicity, clear lines
lockdowns took hold, according to and rose pink colour”. The two sneaker models will be available in a simple
industry association Assocalzaturifici. white design with a rose pink stripe and gold Puma logo.
The latest figures show production
fell to 130.5 million pairs during the
year, and turnover to €10.7 billion. CAMPER SAILING BOOT Guimarães, who spent 25 years in
There was also a significant decrease in BECOMES OFFICIAL various roles at the organisation,
exports, in terms of both value (-14.7%) FOOTWEAR FOR SAILGP contributing consistently to the growth
and volume (-17.4%). Assocalzaturifici’s A boot that Camper designed with and development of the footwear
chairman, Siro Badon, said there had Spain’s F50 sailing team will be the components industry both in the
been “severe economic consequences”. official footwear of the SailGP domestic market and overseas.
international sailing competition when it Specifically, she insisted that an
SALES APPOINTMENT resumes in Bermuda at the end of April. increase of fashion and design elements
AT TEXON Spanish yachtsmen Florian Trittel would be a way to help Brazilian shoe
Footwear components developer Texon and Diego Botín, who worked on the companies differentiate themselves in
has appointed Bryan Whitfield as its design with Camper, tried out the global market. She also worked
new group sales director. He has prototypes of the boot during their hard to convince shoe companies to
extensive experience at performance preparations for the resumption of the focus on innovation and to have
materials manufacturers, including competition. They said the technical sustainability as an integral part of their
Avery Dennison, Velcro and Bemis. design offered a high level of stability footwear manufacturing approach. Ms
Texon has said Mr Whitfield will build and protection from injury. Guimarães was also one of the driving
a long-term sales strategy to drive forces behind the Inspiramais exhibition
double-digit growth and strengthen its ASSINTECAL EXECUTIVE in São Paulo.
status as a partner for brands looking DIRECTOR TO LEAVE AFTER Assintecal director Silvana Dilly will
for innovative, versatile, sustainable 25 YEARS take up the running of the organisation.
performance materials. The executive director of Brazil’s
Bryan Whitfield will be based in footwear component manufacturers’ LEATHER NATURALLY
Dallas, Texas. He succeeds Matt association, Assintecal, Maria Biason BIDS FAREWELL TO
Smith in the role. Mr Smith has left Guimarães, has decided to leave the RODRIGO HENRIQUEZ
Texon after almost a decade of role for personal reasons. Campaign group Leather Naturally has
successful service. Assintecal paid tribute to Ms announced that Rodrigo Henriquez
4 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021
will leave his role on its management report to Steve Rendle, chairman of MANAGEMENT TEAM NOW
board in mid-2021. Mr Henriquez is the Timberland’s parent group, VF Corp. COMPLETE AT RHENOFLEX
communications manager for leather Before serving as CEO of NIC+ZOE, Shoe component manufacturer
chemicals manufacturer Lanxess. He Ms Mulder was a partner at global Rhenoflex began the year with three
has served on the Leather Naturally management consulting firm McKinsey senior appointments.
management board for four years but, & Company where she was a leader in Stefan Walther has taken over as
with TFL’s acquisition of the Lanxess the global retail and consumer goods the company’s chief sales officer for
leather chemicals business now practice. Asia Pacific, based in Dongguan.
confirmed, has decided to stand down. In parallel, outdoor footwear sales
Leather Naturally said it was grateful LOUBOUTIN’S FIRST CHINA and marketing executive, Tres
for Mr Henriquez’s “professional and AMBASSADOR Riordan, has become sales and
energetic input” and that it would now Chinese singer and actor Karry Wang marketing director for North America,
begin its search for a replacement. (also known as Wang Junkai) has been based in California.
named Christian Louboutin’s first China Working at the company’s head-
JIMMY CHOO EXPLAINS NEW ambassador. quarters in Ludwigshafen, Peter Seng
LONDON ACADEMY IDEA Mr Wang has often been dressed in is the new head of global sourcing.
Footwear designer Jimmy Choo has the Parisian brand’s products for Chief executive, Frank Böttcher,
explained his reasons for opening a significant moments in his career, said these appointments meant the
new design academy in London in including on the cover of several management team at Rhenoflex was
September. magazines, his first solo concert now complete.
Speaking to BBC Radio, Mr Choo performance and at major awards
said he had no regrets about selling his ceremonies. PENTLAND PROMOTES FOR
50% share of the Jimmy Choo brand in Commenting on the appointment, FIRST POSITIVE-BUSINESS
2001, only five years after setting it up brand founder and designer Christian Sportswear group Pentland brand has
with business partner, Tamara Mellon. Louboutin said: “Being fun, curious, hired Sara Brennan as ‘positive
He said education and passing on his ambitious and committed to social business’ director, a new role that
skills and knowledge were now his responsibilities, Karry with his fresh reflects a focus on “people and planet”.
main aims. energy undoubtedly personifies what I’d Pentland Brands Chirag Patel said:
He confirmed that part of the course like Christian Louboutin to be for the “Today, more than ever, it’s essential
at the new JCA-London Fashion upcoming years.” that we remain focused on our goal of
Academy will be the business side, being a positive business as it relates to
something he said he had “learned the FORMER NIKE EXEC NAMED people and our planet.”
hard way”. He added: “Designers know VP AT SOREL
how to design, but they also have to Clothing and footwear group Columbia CHRISTIE’S AUCTIONS
learn about accounts, how to talk to the Sportswear as hired Craig Zanon from JEANMAIRE FOOTWEAR
media and which markets to sell into.” Nike to take over as senior vice- Auction house Christie’s held an auction
He said he was optimistic about president of its brands Sorel, Mountain earlier in the year of items including
economies recovering after covid-19. Hardwear and prAna when Doug footwear from the wardrobe of famed
“We’ve seen things like this before,” he Morse retires this summer. French ballet dancer, actress and singer
said, “for example at the time of SARS Mr Zanon has spent more than 20 Renée Marcelle “Zizi” Jeanmaire
[2002-2004]. I think that by June or July years at Nike, where he held positions (1924-2020).
[this year] a lot of countries will be including vice-president and general A lesser-known muse of French
opening their doors.” manager of global basketball, vice- designer Yves Saint Laurent (also
And in the meantime, he president for US footwear and general known by his initials, YSL), standout
recommended following the practice of manager for the Americas. items from Ms Jeanmaire’s private
friends of his who, although they cannot collection included 1980s-era haute
go out and have to stay at home, dress NOX TARGETS PADEL couture leather trench coats by YSL,
up in the evening as though they were Specialist sports brand Nox is to launch monogrammed Hermès leather bags
going out with, naturally, glamorous its first collection of footwear for players and a couple of Goyard leather and
shoes as part of their outfits. of padel, a racket-sport that has been canvas suitcases dating from the middle
popular in Spain and Latin America for of the twentieth century.
TIMBERLAND APPOINTS years and is now growing in popularity Leather over-the-knee boots by
BRAND PRESIDENT AFTER across the world. Roger Vivier also featured alongside
EXTENSIVE SEARCH Barcelona-based Nox has long been a leather heeled and flat shoes, pochette
Footwear and clothing company supplier of rackets and clothing for the bags and belts by YSL, among other
Timberland has chosen the former CEO game but has now launched into pieces of luxury (now vintage) clothing
of clothing brand NIC+ZOE as its brand footwear too. It has studied the and accessories.
president. movements of padel players’ feet during Ms Jeanmaire is said to have led the
Susie Mulder’s responsibilities will matches and worked with a specialist applause following Mr Saint Laurent’s
include product diversification across sports footwear consultant, Marta first fashion show under his own name,
footwear and apparel and she will Rueda, to design prototype shoes. according to Vogue.
ISSUE TWO 2021 | www.footwearbiz.com 5
WF INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION
Industry&Innovation
SHOE FROM ASICS WILL
BENEFIT CADENCE AND
STRIDE RUNNERS
Japanese sports brand Asics launched
two new running shoes at the end of
March, Metaspeed Sky and Metaspeed
Edge, each designed with “a distinct
running style in mind”, it said.
Researchers at the brand’s own
Institute of Sport Science (ISS) analysed
the high-performance running shoe
market and concluded that most of the
products available to athletes favoured
one type of runner only. Stride runners,
those with a long, loping gait, who
increase their speed by extending their
stride length, are those who benefit
from this. HAT-TRICK OF INNOVATIONS IN NEW ADIDAS
Asics’s research showed that these FOOTBALL BOOT
shoes fail to give the same level of
Adidas has launched a new version of its Copa football boot, incorporating a
support to elite athletes who prefer a
range of technological innovations. Analysis work that went into the design of the
second running style, cadence. Cadence
new boot, the Copa Sense, focused on mapping a variety of different sole shapes
runners take smaller steps, hovering
so that the team at adidas could form a fuller understanding of the parts of the
over the ground with minimal up and
foot that connect most frequently with the ball.
down motion. These runners increase
This led to the creation of Sensepods, an innovation designed to eliminate
their speed both by extending stride
“negative space” around the ankle and the Achilles. It involves placing foam
length and by increasing the number of
elements on the inside of the heel of the boot, helping to create what adidas calls
steps they take per minute.
“a seamless connection between boot and foot”.
In tests, sports scientists at its ISS
Copa Sense boots also have Touchpods, placed on the medial and the lateral
found that athletes performed better
sides of the boot. These are designed to absorb energy from the ball at the points
when running in shoes optimised for
where it most frequently connects to the boot.
their specific running style. From this,
A third innovation is Softstuds, were adidas has injected softer material into
the company went on to create the
two medial forefoot studs so that they will bend upon impact with the ball.
Metaspeed Sky for stride runners and
the Metaspeed Edge for those with a
cadence style. plastics, replacing up to 20% of fossil- suitable for use in footwear. The material
The first of these allows runners to based raw materials, and markets it derives from mycelium, the body of
conserve more energy while under the name Cardyon. vegetation from which mushrooms
maintaining their pace at the later Plama-pur’s Eco Foams add grow. When the fungus grows, CTCR
stages of a race. The second style will cushioning to running, trekking and ski explains, it endows the mycelium with
allow runners to control cadence more boots. Its customers laminate the cut antibacterial properties.
easily, the brand claims, and experience foam pieces onto self-adhesive “This is the basis for the new
“a fast underfoot feel”. The components materials and punch them out into biomaterial,” the Arnedo-based body
of both types of shoe include midsole various shapes. Covestro claims the said. “It is suitable for use in footwear
foam and a carbon plate. foams have better elasticity and a finer components, which come into
cell structure than those made from continuous contact with micro-
COVESTRO’S ‘EXHAUST GAS’ 100% fossil-based raw materials. organisms through the atmosphere
CO2 ADDS ELASTICITY TO and through wearer’s skin.” Tests at
FOOTWEAR TESTS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL CTCR have confirmed the new
Polymer manufacturer Covestro has FOR MUSHROOM WASTE biomaterial’s antibacterial properties,
teamed up with Slovenian company CTCR, the specialist footwear technology measured against ISO 20645 and other
Plama-pur for shoe components centre for manufacturers in La Rioja in standards.
containing CO2 in a thermoplastic northern Spain, has reported significant La Rioja is a small region, but is
polyurethane film. Covestro converts progress in a project to develop a new Spain’s largest producer of mushrooms,
exhaust gas CO2 into a precursor for antibacterial and anti-fungal biomaterial according to CTCR, with 55% of the
6 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021
WF INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION
national output and production separate pieces required to make a Rob Falken, vice-president of
reaching more than 70,000 tonnes per shoe into a single mould and applying innovation at OrthoLite, said: “Our
year. Mushrooms are the region’s a polymer injection to bond them all advanced aerogel traps micro-pockets
second-most important agricultural simultaneously. of air without the need for loft, and it
product, after wine. Another aspect of EcoChallenge will be won’t lose its effectiveness when
The footwear research body has its use of cuttings and other waste from compressed under foot. The nano-
pointed out that this level of mushroom shoe manufacturing to create energy. In porous inside of a multi-porous
production results in around 40,000 total, the companies and industry structure creates a thermal barrier
tonnes per year of mycelium that has to organisations behind the plan have said which blocks both cold and heat.”
be treated as waste imposing an annual they hope to be able to make 24 million
cost of around €200,000. pairs of EcoChallenge shoes every year NEW TOE-LASTER MACHINE
and create up to 1,000 new jobs. FROM CERIM
PRIMEASIA COMPLETES Footwear machinery manufacturer
LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENT OF RAW MATERIAL PRICES ARE Cerim has launched a new toe-laster
ITS LEATHER ON THE RISE machine, model X78.
Tanning group PrimeAsia has A textile industry body in France, UIT, It has a set of nine, hydraulic,
announced the completion of a 12- has issued a statement to warn reinforced pincers with thermo-cement
month exercise to carry out a lifecycle customers that the prices of raw injection, making it suitable for use
assessment (LCA) of its leather materials and freight are “soaring”. specifically in the construction of shoes
production. It said it had concentrated Specifically, UIT said in mid-April that and boots with hard and heavy leather
on using the “high-quality primary the price of polyester was between 50% uppers and safety toecaps, the
data” that came out of a detailed and 80% higher than a year ago and the Vigevano-based company said at the
analysis of all elements that contribute price of recycled polyester fibre 60% time of the launch.
to the environmental impact of its higher. Cotton was 35% more expensive Also part of the new model X78 are
production processes. than five months before, while organic enhanced cylinders in the pincer-closing
This evaluation covered 266 process cotton was double the price it was a system and a new heel-rest design.
phases, collecting 3,000 data points from year earlier. Linen rose in price by 25%
operations in five different countries. between September 2020 and April REI TO LAUNCH ITS OWN
Chief executive, Jon Clark, said 2021, while wool was 10% higher. FOOTWEAR RANGE
discussions about the sustainability of Specialist outdoor product manufacturer
different materials are likely to become CLARIANT TO SET UP and retail co-operative REI has
more and more important in the coming ADDITIVES R&D CENTRE announced the launch of its first ever
years. He added, though, that many of Chemicals group Clariant is to open a company-made footwear in April. There
these discussions seemed to him to be dedicated research and development will be two styles, Traverse and Flash.
based on assumptions or on “generic centre for additives at its campus in Traverse is a backpacking boot that
and outdated data”. Shanghai. will also work well on day hikes. Flash
He explained that PrimeAsia had It said its aim was to bring faster lead- is more suitable to light hikes and trail-
decided to carry out a detailed LCA times and more speed in the development running. REI said the launch of its own
exercise, collecting precise primary data of fibres, adhesives, coatings, inks and footwear products had been a two-
“to be able to manage our efficiencies in other products. It will also offer customers year project.
a more precise way”. opportunities for joint development and
application testing. NEW TOOLS MARK MAIN
SPANISH PROJECT WILL Head of Clariant’s additives business, GROUP RESPONSE
AIM TO MAKE 24 MILLION François Bleger, said that demand for Footwear technology provider Main
PAIRS PER YEAR high-end additives was growing Group has announced a series of
Bonding technology developed by strongly in China. He said: “As local technology solutions that it has
Elche-based Simplicity Works will be manufacturers develop more developed in response to “weaknesses
one of the main points of focus of a new sophisticated processes, technologies along the production chain” that it
five-year project that the Spanish and products to align with market believes the international health
footwear industry is about to embark on. needs and China’s environmental goals, emergency has highlighted.
The initiative, called the sustainable additives can be key to Its response includes a series of tools
EcoChallenge project, will have access boosting progress effectively and to improve the efficiency and quality of
to funding from the European Union’s efficiently.” specific phases of the shoe production
Next Generation EU recovery plan. The process. High-precision carding with
project’s main aim is to win back ORTHOLITE USES AEROGEL automatic change for the processing of
footwear production from Asia. FOR INSULATING INSOLE all types of leather or synthetic materials
It will include a new Factory Lab in Insole provider OrthoLite has developed is one example. Others are the tailor-
Elche that will use Simplicity Works’ a thermal technology that traps aerogel made siliconising process for any
bonding technology to produce around in an open-cell PU foam. The US mould, with automatic mould change
600,000 pairs of shoes per year. The company said O-Therm will keep feet and the interconnection of all the
technology works by placing all the warmer in cold conditions. stations along the production line.
ISSUE TWO 2021 | www.footwearbiz.com 7
WF BACKTRACK
Backtrack
World Footwear’s publishing cycle and limitations on space comprehensive archives of news anywhere on the web for
make it impossible for us to run more than a carefully the global footwear industry.
selected sample of news from across the industry.
However, we publish hundreds more stories on We list below just a few of the headlines that have
www.footwearbiz.com. The site is updated every day appeared on the site in recent weeks —
with news from every continent and every part of the www.footwearbiz.com allows you to read those you
industry, making footwearbiz.com one of the most have missed.
14/04/2021 29/03/2021 16/03/2021
Tributes as respected shoe leather Ford gifts leftover leather to social Asics upcycles second-hand clothing
professional loses cancer battle enterprises into running shoes
Logistics centre will help Kering meet
global e-commerce demand 26/03/2021 15/03/2021
China’s full-year leather imports fell India: leather-sector exports fall by
Under Armour commits to one-third
overall, but a mixed bag
renewable energy
Sales of Eider’s Touring Walk soar
130% in a week
12/03/2021
13/04/2021 ATP Atelier awarded Positive Luxury’s
Cash available to help Japanese leather Butterfly Mark
companies recover from covid-19 25/03/2021
Yue Yuen expects a year of ‘revitalisation’
11/03/2021
12/04/2021 Banana fibre adds flavour to H&M Pensole course will help give designers
Nike tops brand value list again footwear story a leg up
Results for “year like no other”
09/04/2021 24/03/2021 from adidas
Rockport walks with purpose into its Colour-changing shoes gaining ground
fiftieth year Revenue growth for Li Ning, despite 10/03/2021
Vietnam’s footwear companies invest 2020 challenges Melody Ehsani joins Foot Locker as
in digital Sergio Rossi debuts younger-skewing first women’s creative director
Sì Rossi line Lockdown surprise for Casadei
07/04/2021 New $307.1 million smart shoe manu-
Leather milestone for H&M 23/03/2021 facturing base for Wenzhou’s Lucheng
Bangladesh tanners ask for Decline of just over 25% for Stella
Puma x Nemen capsule takes technical
tax concessions International
pointers from F1 gear
Nike ‘as strong as ever’ as it reveals
06/04/2021 new targets 09/03/2021
Exor takes 24% stake in Louboutin
Gore adapts to pandemic with virtual
lab tours
22/03/2021 Gallery Shoes still on course for April
Stone Island and New Balance sign
multiyear footwear deal 08/03/2021
01/04/2021
Adidas chooses digital platform to LVMH highest valued company on
increase buy-back programmes
19/03/2021 European stock market
Athleisure cushions US shoe group
05/03/2021
31/03/2021 18/03/2021 Pre-owned luxury a real and deep-
New version of Reebok plant-based shoe A more agile Caleres emerges from rooted trend, Kering says
Balenciaga’s Track trainer now offered covid-19 Marc Fisher sued for almost $1.5 million
as mule
Daphne International’s revenues
17/03/2021 03/03/2021
Gucci unveils $12 virtual trainers Buyers issue joint statement on Myanmar
drop 83%
Shoe companies embrace ecommerce: Renewed optimism at Foot Locker
Tencel provides the ‘fluff’ for Ugg
Micam Digital under way
Converse Japan supplies more
30/03/2021 Pentland partners charity providing technical ‘camping’ footwear
Pushing up hide prices is self-inflicted loans to small businesses Parley for the Oceans celebrates
harm, leather manufacturer says Investment pays off for PrimeAsia 2020 milestones
8 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021Stay a step ahead
Fresh look
Simpler to navigate
Multi lingual options
Searchable archive of
over 6,500 news stories
Contact Simon Yarwood simon@worldtrades.co.uk for more informationMANUFACTURING & MATERIALS INNOVATION
Sustainable Susterra
E
co-efficiency has been planet, reduce dependence on The message is beginning to strike
proposed as a key tool in petroleum and seek renewable, home and the global demand for eco-
promoting a transformation sustainable sources for the materials we efficient materials across industry as a
from unsustainable develop- use. One way to do this is by using whole is rising and the footwear
ment to one of sustainable development. renewably sourced feedstocks that take industry is undergoing a pivotal shift to
It is based on the concept of creating CO2 out of the air and put it into bio- reduce its environmental footprint.
more goods and services while using based materials and recycle those There is an increasing realisation that
fewer resources and creating less waste rather than recycle petrochemical based we need to transform the way in which
and pollution. It can be said to measure materials. footwear is made and to increasingly
the ratio between the added value of A report by the Ellen MacArthur use more sustainable materials from
what has been produced expressed as Foundation says that besides natural resources. Dupont Tate & Lyle
GDP and the added environmental decoupling virgin feedstock from finite Bio Products (DTL) is at the forefront of
impacts of the product or service resources, renewably sourced plastics this movement.
involved as, for example, carbon dioxide can, under certain conditions, decrease
(CO2) emissions from fossil fuels. carbon dioxide emissions and RENEWABLY SOURCED
We now realise the extent to which potentially act as a carbon sink FEEDSTOCK
CO2 adversely affects the environment throughout their life cycle. For plastics The US Midwest produces enormous
in so many ways, not least of which is sourced directly from captured quantities of corn (maize) of which
global warming and all the implications greenhouse gases, such as methane 99.7% is industrial field corn used for
this holds for the world and its people. and carbon dioxide, this link is clear. For animal feed and processing into a
Unfortunately, CO2 emissions from bio-based plastics, this happens variety of other products. First
petrochemicals production continue to indirectly as plants capture carbon generation carbohydrate crops, and field
grow substantially, despite all the efforts dioxide from the atmosphere as they corn in particular, are currently the most
to recycle petrochemical materials. We grow and this carbon is then harnessed resource efficient and renewable
therefore need to decarbonise the in the polymer. feedstock available. Field corn’s high
CO2 emissions are still growing.
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK / NYC ROSS
10 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021SUSTAINABLE SUSTERRA
carbohydrate efficiency leads to
relatively low land use, it has high
performance potential and is scalable
using existing technology and
infrastructure. In addition, it is capable
of usage in a wide variety of applications
and yields valuable co-products.
Depending on location, natural fibre
crops such as cotton, flax, beech and
bamboo can be resource intensive due
to high water and/or energy use. Fossil
fuels such as crude oil are, while widely
used for a myriad of products, non-
renewable and have environmental and
public health impacts from their
extraction and usage. When taken
holistically, field corn is positioned very
favoroubly (field corn used to make
Susterra is covered under the Tate &
Lyle sustainable agriculture partnership Field corn provides the raw feedstock for Susterra PDO. CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK / FOTOKOSTIC
with Truterra Insights, an interactive
on-farm digital platform to help farmers The company says that in addition to include outsoles, insoles, synthetic
advance their stewardship goals and using a renewably sourced raw upper materials, waterproof breathable
return-on-investment in real time, acre- material, this sustainable manu- membranes and adhesive films.
by-acre and help food companies facturing process on a ‘cradle-to-gate’
measure sustainability progress). basis, produces 47% less greenhouse GOING TO THE LIMIT
DTL uses corn to produce Susterra, a gas emissions and consumes 49% less A company that has sought to go as
1,3-propanediol (Bio-PDO) which can be non-renewable energy than equivalent far as possible in the use of bio-based
used as a building-block for bio-based petroleum-based diols. Compared to materials is UK brand Vivobarefoot. In
polyurethane chemistry. The variety of the typical petrochemical building block its Primus Light Bio shoe introduced in
corn involved is known as yellow dent found in polyurethane materials in March 2019, Susterra based materials
and has a high starch content. After footwear butanediol (BDO), the figures feature prominently in the equation.
harvesting and drying, a wet milling are 48% and 46% respectively on the Analysis demonstrates how far the use
process is used to separate it into its four same ‘cradle-to-gate’ basis. The result of plant-based material can extend in
basic components: starch, germ, fibre and is a building block for bio-based an athleisure type shoe. The inclusion of
protein. The nutrient rich components are polyurethane chemistry that allows any Bloom EVA is also significant as this is
used for animal feed while glucose is footwear material or component made derived from toxic algae harvested from
derived from the remaining starch from petroleum-based polyurethane to lakes and used to produce a sustainable
content and is the raw material used for be replaced by one that is partially bio- natural additive to EVA (ethylene vinyl
making 1,3-propanediol. based. Applications for footwear acetate) to improve its performance
PRIMUS LIGHT BIO COMPOSITION AND BIO CONTENT
Upper Composition Plant based/recycled %
Double ply mesh 25% Sorona, 75% Polyester 9.25% Bio
Single mesh 100% RPET 100% RPET
No sew 65% Susterra, 35% Polyurethane 65% Bio
Linings
Lining 40% RPET, 60% Polyester 40% RPET
Footbed 60% RPET, 40% Polyester, 50% RPET, 50% Polyester 60% RPET, 50% RPET
Bottom unit
Insole 10% BLOOM, 90% EVA 10% Bio
Outsole 45% Natural rubber, 5% BLOOM, 10% Synthetic rubber, 50% Bio
40% additives (silica, accelerator)
Sundries
Lace 50% RPET 50% RPET
Other
Other materials EVA, Polyurethane, Polyester, PU; TPU
ISSUE TWO 2021 | www.footwearbiz.com 11while at the same time helping to offset
an environmental problem. Although
such an extensive use of bio-based
materials is not possible with all types
of footwear, it does show the potential
as far as unstructured casual and
athleisure shoes are concerned.
ALL ABOUT PERFORMANCE
Susterra is very much all about
performance and problem solving for
different parts of the shoe. Paired with
the right chemistry, DTL claims it can
perform as well as–or better than–
traditional TPUs based on those
performance requirements. In laboratory
tests, it has been evaluated against
traditional polyols as a polyester and
polyether thermoplastic polyurethane for
outsole applications with a bio-content DTL’s manufacturing plant at Loudon, Tennessee. CREDIT: DUPONT TATE & LYLE BIO PRODUCTS
of up to 75%. Compared to traditional
petrochemical based TPU, Susterra-
hydrolysis resistance, bonding strength 97% of the global agricultural area is
based TPUs can have better low-
and easy processability shown in its used to grow food and feed or used for
temperature flexibility and performance,
other applications. Given the perform- pasture. The area needed to grow
as well as better hydrolysis resistance.
ance enhancing nature of TPU hot-melt biomass for material use accounts for
They also offer excellent slip resistance
films, DTL states that compared to approximately 2% and, within this share,
and come in a wide range of colours
traditional petrochemical-based films, bio-materials only account for about
including fully transparent. Susterra-
those based on Susterra demonstrate 0.02%. Using sugar, starch or oil for bio-
based TPU membranes also offer
higher bonding strengths at lower based chemicals, plastics or fuel still
enhanced stretch and flexibility
temperatures, better hydrolysis leaves all the plant-based proteins which
characteristics while maintaining high
resistance, easy processing excellent are an important feedstock for the food
performance.
bonding strength as well as a high bio- and animal feed industries.
Combined with adipic acid (AA), it
based content of up to 70%. What will happen to footwear
exhibited excellent low temperature
manufacture post covid-19 is still a matter
flexibility when compared to butanediol
(BDO) combined with AA. When
GOING FORWARD of conjecture. Vivobarefoot has shown
Influential pressure group EU that there is enormous scope for the use of
combined with sebacic acid (Sb), a bio-
Bioplastics (EUBP) in a report on the bio-materials in footwear and, as Susterra
based alternative to AA, it further
industrial use of agricultural feedstock amply demonstrates, they are more than
improved low temperature flexibility.
states the discussion about the use of capable of matching or exceeding the
Dupont says that wear trial participants
biomass for industrial purposes is often performance of petro-chemical derived
were impressed by its performance,
linked to the question whether the materials. One thing is certain however
even in blizzard conditions. In snowy
conversion of potential food and feed to and that is there will be some changes
conditions, hydrolysis performance is
materials is ethically justifiable. It also says and, with an ever increasing realisation
important as well and the company says
that this emotional debate lacks empirical that many of the world’s natural resources
that Susterra propanediol can be paired
research to support these claims with are fast running out, we must turn to
with the right chemistry to again equal
actual facts. As it happens, enough food to those that have a truly sustainable future
or even outperform traditional TPUs.
feed the world is being produced and, and this is where bio-materials can play
unfortunately, wasted each year. an important part.
HOT MELT ADHESIVE FILMS
Another area where Susterra is
increasingly found is in the production
Vivobarefoot’s Primus Lite Bio shoe
of TPU-based hot melt adhesives and has a high bio-material content.
laminating films also known as no-sew CREDIT: VIVOBAREFOOT
films. Depending on the nature of the
substrate involved, these can then be
used as backers for uppers and vamps
or toe and heel reinforcements in the
form of toe puffs and counters which
cover a huge range of footwear types.
TPU films using Susterra PDO offer
the same sort of tensile strength,
12 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021Efficiency and
quality are the keys
to success
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CO2 emissions are still growing.
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK / NYC ROSS
CREDIT: CTCP
From linear to circular
MARIA JOSÉ FERREIRA, VERA PINTO, ISABEL GONÇALVES, ISABEL SANTOS – CTCP
F
ootwear production worldwide continents, there is more room for trends that could affect the profits of
has increased by 21.2% since consumption to grow. businesses. A further growth in the use
2010 at an average annual Footwear production and of online retailing in 2020 nevertheless
growth rate of 2.2%. In 2019 consumption have both grown supported an increase in consumption
the industry slowed down, growing by considerably over the last decades due for some footwear segments.
only 0.6% over the previous year, but to the demographic and economic
this was still enough to establish a new dynamics across the globe and LINEAR VERSUS CIRCULAR
production record of 24.3 billion pairs. increased per capita sales in more The current economic model for
Footwear production continues to be mature economies. The latter is closely producing, distributing and using
strongly concentrated in Asia where related to the ‘fast fashion’ footwear operates in an almost linear
almost nine out of every 10 pairs of phenomenon, with quicker turnaround manner. Large amounts of resources
shoes are manufactured. of new styles, increased number of are extracted to produce materials and
Footwear consumption is more collections offered per year with products that are often used for a short
evenly distributed. Asia’s consumption attractive models and prices. period, after which they are mostly
accounts for more than half of all shoes In 2020, footwear production and disposed of in landfill. This linear
in the world, Europe and North America consumption slowed down mainly due economy puts high pressure on
represent 15% each, Africa and South to the global pandemic. Additionally, resources, pollutes the natural
America 6% to 9% and Oceania 1%. both the negative impacts of the environment and menaces ecosystems.
Nonetheless, there are important footwear industry and ‘over Up until now, brands and the
geographical differences in consum- consumption’ in general are becoming footwear industry in general have
ption patterns. Per capita footwear more transparent and understood by mainly focused on reducing the impact
consumption is around 5.6 pairs in environment friendly and digitally of the current linear system by selecting
North America, 4.4 pairs per person in enabled consumers. This has lead to materials with less environmental
Europe and Oceania, 2.6 in Asia and 1.6 increased risks to the reputations of impact or using more efficient
pairs in Africa. Therefore, in the latter companies and brands, and to regulatory production, distribution and selling
14 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021FROM LINEAR TO CIRCULAR
techniques. The footwear of the future, greenhouse gas emissions from the EU Promoting long use, repair and/or re-
however, needs a vision more aligned by 2050. It advocates a rapid movement use ensures all resources (material and
to the principles of a circular economy, towards a circular economy based on energy) put into a product during its
one that tackles the root cause of the recycling, reuse, remanufacturing and manufacture are preserved. One
current economic model’s wasteful shared use. The proposal also aims to singular example is given by Belcinto, a
nature directly: namely the short establish a toxic-free environment, Portuguese bags and belts
periods of footwear utilisation and low promote bio-economy and protect manufacturer. Ana Maria Vasconcelos,
rates of recycling after use. biodiversity, and the health and well- the company’s CEO, says that despite
Ideally, in a circular economy, being of citizens from environment- being a vegetarian herself, leather is the
footwear and materials are kept at their related risks and impacts. prime material used in the company’s
highest value during use and to then re- Aligned with these policies and products since it recycles a by-product
enter the economy after use, ‘never’ technical orientations, the Portuguese of the food industry and is very durable
ending up as waste. This could provide Footwear Cluster Sustainability Action and repairable. “Belcinto high-quality
the growing world population with Plan, launched in 2019, proposes a products are for life,” she emphasises.
access to the footwear it needs while, at holistic approach to growth. Maria José To support the promotion of footwear
the same time, regenerating the earth’s Ferreira, Director at CTCP, the and accessories’ durability and
resources, reducing pollution and using Portuguese Footwear Research and longevity, there are international
renewable resources and energy to Technological Centre with responsibility standards and guidelines applicable to
contribute to overall sustainable for this area, says that the plan takes materials, uppers, insoles, soles and
ecosystems and economies. into consideration people, the planet other components. CTCP collaborates
Realising this, transition is and companies’ activities and with companies in testing and
fundamental and will not happen profitability. It also covers strategic improving the quality and performance
spontaneously. It requires planning and areas of intervention, including the of materials and products supporting
collaborative efforts across the value circular economy. The following commitment and transparency in
chain involving both private and public paragraphs suggest some essential regard to durability and longevity.
sectors. While there are immediate steps in order to make the footwear
opportunities for some businesses, industry of the future circular. FOOTWEAR FOR RECYCLING
namely materials and composites Products and services are frequently
makers, others will benefit from DURABILITY AND LONGEVITY designed and marketed in order to
research and innovation as is the case Increasing the number of times shoes achieve a specific positioning, aesthetic
with recyclable or biomaterials. are worn is the most direct way to appeal, functionality, customer
embed value and reduce resources experience, brand image or unit cost.
CONTRIBUTING TO needed, energy, waste and pollution. Now, it is critical to add the objective of
THE FUTURE Designing and producing footwear of designing and marketing footwear ‘for
The European Commission Green quality that lasts longer, ‘ages well’ and recycling’ by including recycled and
Deal and related member states’ plans, is easily maintained with, for example, a recyclable materials and components as
such as the Portuguese Recovery and hydrating cream, can help shift the far as possible, thus triggering the
Resilience Plan, can give a relevant pull perception of products from being a collection and recycling of post-
to the implementation of bio-economy disposable item to being a durable consumer products. Increased recycling
and circular economy actions by the product. Shoes that, in addition to being represents an opportunity for the
footwear industry. The European Green aesthetically pleasing and durable, fit industry to recapture some of the value
Deal aims to respond to the escalating well and are comfortable to wear, can of the materials and resources lost
climate crisis by achieving net zero have extended life cycles. every year, and reduce their extraction
Lemon Jelly grinds down its old shoes
and incorporates them into Recycled
Lemons. CREDIT: LEMON JELLY
ISSUE TWO 2021 | www.footwearbiz.com 15and the negative impacts associated
with their disposal.
Several approaches may be followed
in designing footwear for recycling. One
approach is conceiving a product made
mainly of one type of material that
could, at the end of its useful life, be
collected, cleaned and recycled into
new shoes. An interesting example is
given by the company Lemon Jelly.
Through a recycling technology, Lemon
Jelly can transform old shoes by
grinding them down and incorporating
them into the production of new
Recycled Lemons. And because the
factory runs entirely on renewable
electrical energy, it claims to generate
new shoes with 90% less CO2
emissions.
Another approach is ‘design for
disassembly’ whereby a product
contains a multitude of different
materials and components. Design for
disassembly addresses the selection of
these materials and sets their recycling
rate. In the materials choice phase, one
Soling producer Atalanta offers a vast range of soles in natural or recycled materials.
can choose less impacting materials, CREDIT: ATALANTA
reduce the quantities of materials and
improve process techniques. These
choices can be supported by life cycle utilisation. For used footwear that developed and offers a vast range of
analysis tools. In any case, the main becomes unwanted and is still in good soles in natural or recycled materials,
aspect to retain is that ’less is more’. enough condition to be used again, from thermoplastics to rubbers.
Particularly, using fewer materials, cleaned and disinfected resale models Regarding collection systems and
light weight durable materials, fewer could offer an attractive opportunity. logistics, steps are already being offered
dissimilar materials in assemblies, or by some brands and countries. To truly
in sub-assemblies and modules of NEW RECYCLING upscale, plans and solutions need to be
products designed for disassembly, will TECHNOLOGIES defined and implemented and scaled up
improve the possibilities of material New materials that are recyclable, in the future in line with regional
life extension. coupled with efficient logistic and specifics. Technologies and metho-
recycling systems and processes, are dologies to identify the materials and
NEW SALES AND fundamental for scaling up recycling products and how they are sorted are key
SERVICE MODELS and making it sustainable. Innovation to capturing the full value of the materials
Creating consumer awareness for is required in order to obtain easy to they contain in order for the process to be
responsible consumption of durable and recycle materials, to incorporate high economically viable. QR (quick response)
recycled products will create market percentages of materials to be codes and user-friendly platforms could
opportunities and will also benefit from reprocessed and obtain recycled provide a useful contribution here.
private and public sector collaboration. materials with properties similar to Implementation and, when necessary,
Buying and wearing shoes fulfils diverse those of virgin materials. When the development of sorting and separation
consumer needs and desires, therefore a latter is needed to feed the economic technologies permitting the mechanical
variety of awareness, sales and service cycle, steps should be taken to ensure and chemical separation of materials
models can be deployed to support the they increasingly come from and blends, will provide cleaner
circular economy. renewable resources. feedstock and so potentially increase the
Consumers may be engaged in the Development of this kind will entail quality and value of recycling. However,
circular economy concept by rewarding researching and promoting the use of in footwear containing many different
their commitment and collaboration in bio-based renewable feedstock to materials, this is complex and solutions
the logistics of collecting used shoes. For produce leather, fibres and rubbers that require detailed separation can be
those desiring frequent outfit changes, among other materials. A good example costly. To overcome this problem, CTCP
subscription-based models can offer an is given by sole manufacturer Atlanta has been developing materials that
attractive alternative to frequently buying that, within the framework of internal incorporate a range of ground footwear
new shoes. For one-off occasions, shoe and collaborative projects such as waste that feature properties that allow
rental services could increase their FAMEST and GreenShoes4All, has them to be used in quality outsoles.
16 WORLD FOOTWEAR | ISSUE TWO 2021You can also read
