Green shoe components launched
In an effort to reduce the environmental impact of its products, Brazilian footwear components manufacturer Formax Quimiplan Componentes para Calçados has begun importing a new environmentally-friendly resin produced from renewable sources such as soy, corn, sunflower and castor beans from Spain to use in the production of its Thermogreen range of counters and toecaps.
Commenting on the decision to use the new resin, which was only launched in October, Formax’s director, Flávio Faustini said: “Up until now, these components have been made of crude oil-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) but from now on we can work with vegetable-based materials.”
The company intends to use the resin in 50% of its products that typically use TPU, which will equate to using 600,000 metres of recyclable polymers per month.
Although the main impetus behind the move has been to reduce the environmental damage it causes, Formax will also benefit in other ways such as protecting itself from the sharp fluctuations in crude oil prices. “Today, the price of the two types of products (made from vegetable sources or crude oil) is practically the same. But if, in future, there were a shortage of crude oil, we will not be at the mercy of the market. This means that shoe production is being detached from the high cost of oil derivatives and supply variations," said Mr Faustini.
