• More energy@work: Light materials with high rebound
  

• For extreme conditions: Boots that remain soft at winter temperatures
  

• Win-win: High performance solutions are made sustainable
  

• Bubble shoe: Creativity in times of lockdown
  

• New dimension: Completely 3D printed high heels and climbing shoes

From sports to safety shoes: low density, high elasticity

Light and high rebound are main requirements when it comes to the midsole of sports shoes. In this field BASF is one of the top suppliers of polyurethane (PU) materials. But what is valid for sports shoes should also be true for safety shoes. High rebound which guarantees soft dampening effects and lightweight soles are decisive for the comfort also of safety shoes. BASF transferred their knowledge from the sports sector to the safety shoe sector. The result are PU materials that safety producers waited for – it allows highest productivity by the direct soling process and comes with conformance to all safety norm requirements.

Winter boots made from PU stay soft even at minus degrees

Thanks to close cooperation with boots manufacturers, BASF further improved the performance of Elastopan® polyurethane systems for boots. The result is a PU system for winter boots that provides outstanding properties: highest thermal insulation, keeping the feet warm, and provides high comfort even at low temperatures until minus 40 degrees. That makes this Elastopan® perfect for boots to wear during your winter adventure or – if combined with a toe cap – even on an oil rig in Alaska.

BASF offers a broad portfolio of sustainable footwear solutions

BASF will present a concept shoe that is entirely made of sustainable products – the athleisure shoe ‘MADGAMMA - Intertekk Saturn’. The upper of the shoe is made with the 100% recyclable monofilament fiber Freeflex™ thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The replaceable midsole consists of the comfortable and biobased Elastopan® N polyurethane series. Another replaceable midsole option is made with TPU foaming, which has a lower density, high energy return, and is recyclable.

Beside these products, other sustainable solutions such as the biomass balance approach and Ccycled Infinergy®, will be shown. BASF experts will be glad to discuss with you the right material for your environmental goals.