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The circularity of the footwear sector also involves the recycling of one of the lightest and highest-performing plastics: polyurethane. Chemical giant BASF is working on it. During the three days of SIMAC Tanning Tech – the leading international trade fair dedicated to technologies for the footwear industry at Fiera Milano-Rho – BASF presented new plastic materials that guarantee the same characteristics of lightweight and resistance, even when recycled.
BASF’s chemical recycling of polyurethane
Soles, uppers, and even shoes made of cast polyurethane or combinations of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) can be thermally recycled through pyrolysis and gasification and, in the future, potentially also through specific chemical processes, both from post-industrial and post-consumer footwear waste.
“Recovery through specific chemical processes is currently being explored, but the logistical and economic challenges need to be carefully assessed,” explains Daniele Pietro Avio, Senior Sales Manager Footwear Europe at BASF, to Renewable Matter. “We are evaluating a sustainable recovery network, but considering the different regulations in various countries, it will not be a walk in the park.”
The launch of new recycled polyurethane soles means that BASF is looking towards circularity without losing sight of the comfort and lightness that make these materials suitable for various applications, from sports footwear to safety footwear.
For example, the new Elastollan® RC TPU, with up to 100% recycled content, will be used as a raw material for the production of new footwear components. During the fair, which took place from 23 to 25 September, BASF also presented the potential of fully automated polyurethane processing, capable of producing midsoles in a single step. At the same time, expanded TPU resulted in the “Detonate” preformed sole concept, which combines adjustable density and superior performance.
Recyclability of footwear
In 2022, almost 24 billion shoes were produced globally, most of which will end up in landfill or incinerators at the end of their life cycle. Being made up of different components and materials that are difficult to separate, footwear is now one of the most complex textile products to recycle. Mixtures of plastics, glues, fabrics and laces do not facilitate recyclability.
“Even the dirt and fine dust absorbed by shoes during their life cycle make recycling complex,” Michele Corti, Key Account Manager Footwear Sports & Leisure, Performance Materials Europe for BASF, tells Renewable Matter. “In our experience, it is easier to recycle unsold products, a practice increasingly adopted by major fashion brands,” he adds.
While the European Commission is working on introducing a directive that would establish a harmonised extended producer responsibility (EPR) system for textile products, European companies must now compete with fast fashion products, mainly from the Asian market. “In many cases, one of the main parameters on which consumers base their decision before buying a pair of shoes is still the price,” says Avio. “The recycling of each material comes second and must find its competitiveness in a market characterised by footwear that is not always sustainable and of inferior quality.”
Circularity in the footwear sector, therefore, is not only about technological innovation in materials, but also about building logistics and market channels capable of supporting it. In this context, initiatives such as the BASF project represent a first step towards greater circularity, but their full success will rely on the ability to integrate research, regulations and sustainable business models. Only then will it be possible to turn a high-impact sector such as footwear into a virtuous example of the circular economy.
Cover: Envato image