At present, the application of foam materials in the field of shoe materials is mainly EVA, TPU, etc., other foam materials are relatively cheap, the application accounts for a relatively small. Based on environmental sustainability, people are constantly looking for high-performance, low-energy, environmentally friendly and low-cost materials.
Recently, Ortholite and Novamont entered into a partnership to develop OrthoLite Cirql, the world's first circular foam solution for footwear. Ortholite is a global company focused on sustainable, high-performance, comfort insoles and footwear material solutions company, and Novamont is the world's first industrial developer of biodegradable, compostable bioplastics and biochemicals.
OrthoLite Cirql contains no "permanent chemicals" and is made from plant-based, non-GMO, traditional vegetable materials and synthetic biodegradable materials that can be recycled through a low-energy, advanced chemical recovery process that helps the material remain compostable and return to nature during use and through the industrial composting process.
OrthoLite Cirql's material particles will biodegrade like natural polymers such as cellulose, helping to avoid the lasting accumulation of microplastics.
Meanwhile, Novamont developed a customized biopolymer material for OrthoLite Cirql's chemical-free foaming process, which uses nitrogen and renewable energy. Unlike conventional foaming processes currently in use, OrthoLite Cirql is produced without the use of dangerous/toxic chemical additives and the biopolymer pellets melt and mix with liquid nitrogen under extreme pressure, using a unique injection molding process that allows for efficient recycling, resulting in reduced energy consumption and the manufacture of finished parts without downtime, polymerization or waste.
