Sneakers with plant-based soles set for big launch
Specialty chemicals developer Huntsman has claimed a breakthrough by helping footwear brand Keen create a new range of sneakers with plant-based soles.
Named Field To Foot, the sneakers use a specially developed bio-based polyurethane system from Huntsman, which contains a by-product from agricultural processing.
Bio content in the polyurethane system ranges from 35% to 51%. Development work took place at Huntsman’s footwear centre in Belgium, and is based on the company’s Daltoped S technology platform.
According to the technology provider, this direct-on system offers comparable performance to conventional options when it comes to resilience, rebound, hydrolysis, comfort and durability.
Discussions between the two partners began in late 2020, with development work on the project starting in early 2021.
Keen has described the Field To Foot sneakers “a meaningful step towards setting a new industry standard for more sustainable footwear”. The shoes became available as a limited-edition offering in September and sold out quickly, the footwear brand has said. It now intends to launch the sneakers more wider in August this year.
