The Asolo company – upstream – is investigating the use of non-fossil materials. Which is not trivial: “In the field of technical footwear, using recycled material that has the same performance and safety as products made with traditional materials is not so simple”.
In the meantime, however, for the telemark and ski mountaineering product line, Scarpa believes in the castor plant that gives life to Pebax Rnew: “It is a material obtained from this plant – continues Parisotto -, totally organic and sustainable, with an impact significantly lower environmental than traditional plastics. A dynamic and resistant material, which guarantees lightness and reliability for use in all different conditions of use ».
Leather or not leather? This too is a delicate issue linked to sustainability that calls for a reduction in intensive farming. The vegan revolution is also appearing in the leisure shoe sector. It is US Polo Assn., A US brand of the United States Polo Association (Uspa) to demonstrate that they can be worn sneaker in imitation leather: like the Vega 141 whose upper is covered with a “wet pu”, the result of special polymers “waterborne”, Prepared by replacing chemical solvents with water.
The production process makes the polymers hydrophilic (therefore solvent in water), making the fabric very similar to real leather.But then, at the end of its life after having repaired and resoled them in the best possible way, it will be important to be able to recycle the shoes. Manufacturers know this and begin to design them with a view to Ecodesign and mono material.
It is on this theme that Salomon focuses with the Index.01 line, the result of three years of research and development at the Annecy design center in Salomon in the French Alps, using recycled polyester for the top and thermoplastic polyurethane (Tpu) for the unit. lower, the Salomon team ensured that both parts of Index.01 are recyclable.