Huntsman claims “breakthrough” in sustainable safety footwear

Osnabruck, Germany – Huntsman announced the development of a “breakthrough” system that can incorporate recycled polyurethane (PU) into protective footwear without compromising performance, even in premium products.

While PU enhances comfort and protection in safety shoes, managing the scrap generated during production can be a challenge, Huntsman noted in a release about the new PU midsole system, developed with Steitz Secura.

Together with the safety shoe manufacturer and an external partner, Huntsman developed a way to introduce recycled PU into new shoe components using the Daltoped system, which requires no changes to existing processing or chemistry workflows.

Importantly, Huntsman’s approach also introduces recycled PU into new shoe components, while maintaining performance on a par with virgin materials,” according to the press statement.

“By taking our own PU scrap and reusing it, we have been able to manufacture new midsoles containing 20% recycled content,” said Wolfgang Burkhard, head of PUR at Steitz Secura.

“With Huntsman and a technology partner, we have been working to push up this percentage and can now increase the recycled content of new midsoles up to 30%.

This project shows how “agility, innovation, and partnership can drive more meaningful progress in sustainable manufacturing,” added Alex Stepuk, business development circularity manager at Huntsman.

“From early development through to rollout, the collaboration with Steitz Secura was built on… a clear commitment to finding practical solutions that reduce environmental impact without adding complexity,” added Stepuk.