Credit: Gaitech
The footwear supply chain is constantly evolving to ensure more and more comfort for the end consumer while reducing the environmental impact of products and manufacturing and recycling processes. During Lineapelle we met 3 companies that have developed or adopted innovative products for soles and heels that optimise processes, reduce emissions and improve finished products.
HEELS WITH A LIGHTER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
How can the environmental impact of heel production be reduced? Tacchificio Villa Cortese has been committed for years to finding innovative solutions that are either alternatives to the use of ABS or that make its use less impactful, for production processes that are as environmentally sustainable as possible but without losing quality. After developing Fheelbio BCA™, a 65% bio-circular attribution material with ISCC certification, it launched Re-Feel, which is based on the chemical recycling of ABS and makes it possible to obtain a material that is qualitatively equal to the ‘virgin’ material, thus decreasing emissions and maintaining very high quality. Compared to mechanical recycling, it has proven to be better not only on performance (mechanical recycling loses quality and only allows the material to be used in dark colours) but also on the environment, reducing ci Co2 emissions.
ACCESSIBLE 3D PRINTING
3D printing is slowly making its way into various sectors, and the footwear industry has been among the first to embrace its innovations. Da.mi continues its path of innovation by introducing multi-material jet photopolymer 3D printing technology, which allows you to experiment with colours by sintering resin through photopolymers. A complicated process for a simple result: exceptionally light and high-performance soles, but also complex and varied designs with reduced prototyping times.
THE INSOLE THAT REDUCES THE PAIN OF HIGH HEELS
Born from biomechanical research and the desire not to renounce the beauty of the high heel but at the same time guarantee health and well-being, Gait-tech is a device that integrates with the insole and aims to distribute the support surface of the foot in a more balanced way, thus reducing the pain associated with wearing high-heeled shoes for a long time. A solution that can be integrated into any type of shoe but must be provided for during the manufacturing process, integrated into the insole, so as to remain invisible, and not affect the design.
