Company unveils revolutionary footwear technology set to transform our shoes: ‘Finding smarter … ways’

American chemical firm Huntsman Corp. has partnered with footwear firm Steitz Secura to develop a polyurethane midsole called Daltoped that incorporates recycled and scrap material in protective footwear, according to Women’s Wear Daily

Huntsman was able to find an innovative way to incorporate the recycled materials without altering its process, and it said that the shoe’s performance is “on par with virgin materials,” so the quality of the footwear has not been compromised.

Integrating the scrap polyurethane improves the circularity of the protective footwear that is designed for use in construction and other industries where specialty footwear is essential for safety. It provides comfortable protection, so the quality of the recycled content is important. 

Whenever products can use recycled materials, it helps reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Reducing the waste in landfills helps reduce pollution and the release of planet-warming gases. By using recycled materials in the construction of new products, not only does it reduce the gases that are released during decomposition, but it also conserves resources and reduces the demand for new raw materials. The production of raw materials often requires energy and can create pollution.

Using recycled materials also helps reduce the costs associated with creating new materials, so it can save companies money, as well.

Using recycled materials leads to less waste and a healthier environment, so the innovation created by the partnership between Huntsman and Steitz Secura is a positive development in the shoe industry.

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If more companies created products with recycled materials, the environmental benefits would be compounded. We can help by supporting companies that use recycled materials and make environmentally friendly choices. 

By using polyurethane scrap, Steitz Secura has been able to manufacture its new midsoles with 20% recycled content, and it is working toward a goal of 30%. They noted that the demand for circular safety footwear has been growing, and they are stepping up to meet the demand.

Wolfgang Burkhard, head of Polyurethane at Steitz Secura, said that the creation of Daltoped is one example of their “commitment to innovation and sustainability, and to finding smarter, cleaner ways to make high-performance footwear.” 

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