#Textile chemistry

2019-02-15

HUNTSMAN launches five new footwear technologies ahead of SIMAC 2019

Ahead of this year’s SIMAC show in Milan, Italy, Huntsman’s footwear team has announced the launch of three new water-blown polyurethane technologies that it will be promoting at the 2019 footwear fair. The business also revealed details of two brand new AVALON® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) grades.

New technologies will be key focus at forthcoming footwear event

Visit Huntsman at SIMAC 2019 - Hall 14, Booth A44: 20 to 22 February 2019

Four months after launching its DALTOPED® AquaPUR technology, Huntsman has developed three additional technologies – creating a portfolio of innovative, fully water-blown, polyether soling solutions that provide excellent flow and surface definition and can improve the look and feel of shoe soles.

DALTOPED® AquaPUR GRIP technology delivers all the advantages of DALTOPED® AquaPUR technology but offers a softer compound resulting in greater slip resistance.

DALTOPED® AquaPUR Lite technology enables footwear manufacturers to decrease the weight of shoe soles by up to 35% and is ideal for the production of slippers and low heel sandals.

DALTOPED® AquaPUR Lite ENERGY technology is perfect for high quality footwear thanks to its superior energy return which offers up to 40% more rebound than standard systems.

Huntsman’s DALTOPED® AquaPUR technologies are designed for footwear manufacturers that want to make the switch to using a water-blown system but don’t want to compromise on quality. As standard, DALTOPED® AquaPUR technologies provide good cold flex properties plus hydrolysis and slip resistance. Suitable for the direct-on process and casting of unit soles and midsoles, DALTOPED®AquaPUR technologies are compatible with standard polyurethane processing machines. Offering excellent flow characteristics, they can enable the production of complex soling designs in multiple color combinations. They also have superior blend stability in the machine tank and can be processed at room temperature - which helps reduce energy consumption and shortens the production cycle.

Huntsman will also be promoting two brand new highly transparent TPU grades at SIMAC 2019. AVALON® 65 DHT TPU and AVALON® 85 AHT TPU are the latest additions to the company’s popular AVALON® AHT range, which was first launched back in 2014. Providing harder and softer alternatives to AVALON® 90 AHT and AVALON® 95 AHT grades, the new grades join a family of products that offer excellent UV resistance combined with high mechanical properties.

Huntsman and Steitz Secura deliver breakthrough in sustainable safety footwear

Huntsman, in collaboration with Steitz Secura, has developed a breakthrough polyurethane (PU) solution that can help improve the circularity of safety footwear. Together, the two companies have created a DALTOPED® polyurethane midsole system that can incorporate recycled content without compromising performance – setting a new benchmark in protective footwear production.

Huntsman secures bluesign® APPROVED status for IROGRAN® TPU products

Global chemical company Huntsman has secured bluesign® approval for ten of its IROGRAN® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) products, which are used extensively across the textile and apparel industry. The materials in question are part of Huntsman’s IROGRAN® film and sheet portfolio, and can be used to enhance the production, performance, and comfort of stitchless, seamless garments including underwear, sportswear, and outdoor and waterproof clothing.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

TERNAfil wins first place at PitchMiUp Night 2026 in Minden

The RWTH spin-off TERNAfil has developed MAXCarbon, a new high-performance hybrid fibre that combines the mechanical performance of carbon with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. For this development, TERNAfil was awarded first prize at the PitchMiUp Night in Minden on 21 May 2026.