High-performance sustainable solutions from Dow promise immense potential for manufacturers and brand owners who want to gain a foothold in the growing athleisure segment
With the rise of gym culture and fitness classes becoming the norm for the average consumer, the ‘athleisure’ trend has taken hold of fashion across the globe. For the footwear industry, this translates into growing demand for shoes that combine the design of a casual shoe with the performance of a sporting one. It is light and multipurpose, taking the wearer from a high intensity interval training class straight to the office and right through to drinks after work.
While the concept seems simple enough, design and development have not been as straightforward for manufacturers and brand owners. The challenge comes down to the limited material options currently available to the market. Of the existing soling materials, none seem to deliver the combination of qualities necessary for a high-quality athleisure shoe.
In addition to being lightweight enough to carry consumers through all-day wear, the material needs to have sufficient grip for anti-skid performance in all weather conditions, excellent surface texture and finish for aesthetic purposes, and high rebound and dynamic cushioning capable of supporting not just walking, but light athletic activities as well.
On top of the long list of consumer-facing comfort and performance properties, there are several regulatory requirements that manufacturers and brand owners need to comply with to sell products in the European Union. Regulations such as REACH, the F-gas regulation and the European Green Deal are pushing the industry towards the use of materials that are bio-based or recycled, with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP).
Regulators aren’t the only ones demanding better environmental and health outcomes. Brand owners are also driving demand for safer chemistries, with their own specifications concerning sustainable, non-toxic, environmentally compatible shoes, shoe materials, and leather goods. This trend extends to consumers who are increasingly aware of the materials that go into developing the products they buy and wear. There is growing demand for sustainable and ethical materials with a low carbon footprint, and which are safe for both the environment and human health.
While manufacturers and brands have faced this sourcing obstacle, it has been equally if not more challenging for materials science companies to innovate market-competitive solutions to keep up. Adding to the complexity is the fact that from a formulation perspective, some of the desired material properties are in direct competition with each other – increase the viability of one property and another deteriorates.
The Dow research and development (R&D) team has been busy in the lab exploring different solutions to meet the demand from active consumers for high performance, safe and sustainable athleisure footwear. The result is two breakthrough innovations, VORALAST™ LYTE and ENERLYTE™2.0.
The composition and morphology of ENERLYTE™ elastomers was specifically developed to enhance the performance of midsoles in casual, trekking and athletic footwear with improved processability. Meanwhile, VORALAST™ LYTE holds immense potential for manufacturers and brand owners who want to seize the growth opportunities presented by the athleisure trend. The polyurethane technology pairs dynamic cushioning and rebound properties that are critical for athletic performance, with superior aesthetics. Manufacturers and brand owners can use it to produce a lightweight and durable soling system for a midsole in sporting shoes and as both a midsole and outsole in casual or athleisure shoes.
For all purposes, it offers excellent mechanical properties. High hydrolysis and abrasion resistance ensure long-term durability, the soft and bouncy feel delivers comfort, even in cold conditions, and the low compression set ensures that the sole maintains its performance and remains resilient over time despite frequent use. Crucially, it is produced using water-blown technology which has low global warming potential and is therefore friendlier to the environment.
As consumers become more active in their daily lives, light, comfortable and durable footwear is increasingly becoming the norm. To help the global footwear industry meet these demands, Dow continues to innovate and advance material quality and performance while keeping to our sustainability promise. Throughout the polyurethane footwear life cycle, we are innovating safer and more sustainable materials to help our customers and partners gain a competitive advantage, all while meeting increasingly complex sustainability challenges.
