Huntsman develops bespoke soling material with Indian footwear maker
27/05/2015
Based in New Delhi, Franco Leone has a reputation for manufacturing and selling high-quality, formal men’s shoes online. To ensure that its footwear is lightweight, comfortable and able to withstand wear and tear caused by India’s humid, tropical climate, Franco Leone is using a polyether-based polyurethane from Huntsman to create shoe soles for its latest menswear collection.
Franco Leone started working with Huntsman in 2012 and after several meetings, the two companies embarked on the creation of a bespoke soling solution based on Huntsman’s polyether technology – a form of polyurethanes proven to perform well in hot humid climates, where other materials can fail.
Using polyether-based materials from Huntsman’s Daltoped range, the two companies developed a system that delivers a hardwearing outsole with a low-density cushioning mid-sole. The material can also be engineered to achieve multiple colour and finishing effects.
Following successful trials at Huntsman’s footwear technology centers in India and Belgium, Franco Leone put the new material into production. So far, more than 100,000 Franco Leone shoes have been made using Daltoped technology.
Vishal Bhambri, chief executive of Franco Leone, said on making the announcement: “We are one of the fastest growing companies in the Indian footwear industry, manufacturing shoes that reflect international style trends and making them available to Indian consumers at a sensible price point. The decision to move aspects of our manufacturing in-house was a major step for our business and finding the right partner to support this shift was essential. Switching to a different soling material at the same time as changing our production set-up made sense and Huntsman helped us manage the transition, coming up with an innovative material, and providing expert, hands-on, technical support, on the ground in India.”
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