One Shoe. One Material. One Earth.

Today’s performance footwear features more than a dozen different materials and over twenty different components, making shoe production anything but simple - But could it be?

Video Transcript:

Lubrizol Engineered Polymers has revolutionized the footwear industry with the invention of Estane® TPU. And we’ve focused on being the go-solution provider of performance footwear ever since.

Today’s performance footwear features more than a dozen different materials and over 20 different components, making shoe production anything but simple. But could it be?

Lubrizol Engineered Polymers offers an expansive TPU portfolio, featuring extensive application capabilities that can be used to form almost every single part of the shoe. This versatility can be molded into individual technologies for even deeper customization of comfort, performance, and durability, allowing for a simple production process, that increases automation and efficiency, while achieving greater sustainability through less material waste.

Starting at the top, you’ll find Esdex™ TPU for upper yarns, made to optimize shoe function and comfort, all while keeping the upper construction smart and lightweight.

Next, there’s BounCell-X™ High Performance Foam TPU, a foam technology that delivers high-rebound, die-hard cushioning, with superior color capabilities, all made possible by highly automated and recyclable processing.

To produce high performance outsoles, there’s Estane® TRX TPU, a functional alternative to rubber. It offers the highly efficient plastic molding manufacturers need, while delivering the wet/dry traction athletes demand.

Keeping sustainability top of mind, Lubrizol’s Pearlthane™ ECO* TPU is a renewable source that reduces environmental impact without compromising performance benefits.

And finally, the shoe materials are joined together with Pearlbond™ TPU for hot melt adhesives, an assembly line innovation with a broad range of heat activation temperatures and setting times. It is suited with endless substrates and unmatched production flexibility.

In addition to these upper to outsole capabilities, Estane TPU is even suitable for 3D printing technology, with the use of Estane® 3D TPU. There’s more opportunities for design freedom and customization than ever before.

Producing specialized footwear that elevates performance starts with a solution that elevates manufacturing performance. There was once a time where multiple solution providers were the answer. Today, one total solution provider is the answer: Lubrizol Engineered Polymers.

*Bio-based content as determined according to ASTM-D6866.