TEXTILES.ORG
One of the biggest environmental challenges with modern running shoes is that they are made from many different materials, making them difficult to recycle. Now, researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft institutes are exploring a new approach: making a running shoe from a single material. This is the goal of theZiProMat project, which focuses on developing “programmable monomaterial” for athletic footwear.
Instead of combining different materials, the researchers basically modify the structure of the same material. Making the upper of the shoe is relatively straightforward; the main challenge is the sole. Sheets of copolyester elastomer are heated and thermoformed into molds. After each layer is formed individually, they are stacked to form a complete shoe sole. Because both the upper and sole of the shoe are polyester-based, the entire shoe could be fully recycled at the end of its life and reused as raw material for new pairs.
Fraunhofer collaborated with PUMA® to test the feasibility of monomaterial athletic shoes. Testing has shown that the concept can work in real-world prototypes and shoe production. The researchers are also hoping to apply it to work footwear. The ultimate goal of the ZiProMat project is to establish a technology platform for programmable materials and the development of recycling methods.