Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1487355
F oot we ar brands are on t he move this season leveling up product with the latest material developments. ere are two main drivers influencing the direction forward in the footwear market. ere's the ongoing race for performance on one side of the track and an up-and-coming race for sustainability on the other. Sometimes these two trends overlap to create today's buzzy "eco-performance" description, but not always. Finding just the right functionality and eco elements fit for purpose is the challenge. e foam category is an area to watch. "Our aim is to end non-sustainable goods for good," said Gerald Alvoet, VP sales & marketing for evoco. To that aim, the Toronto-based company leverages its plant- based chemistry to replace petroleum in everyday life. Evoco's branded insole product, called FATES, is an eco foam with between 70-80 percent plant based content. "To manufacture one pair of running shoes takes 30 pounds of carbon," explains Alvoet, who was a speaker and exhibitor at the October Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, OR – the first time an area of the convention floor was dedicated to footwear. He adds, "A standard insole has a carbon footprint of 12.8 kgCO2 whereas FATES has 3.85 kgCO2 – 87 percent less CO2 than conventional EVA and 73 percent less CO2 than PU. The five year-old Canadian company will launch with Vans in 2023 building on established partnerships with Timberland, Kodiak, OluKai and many others. Alvoet notes that evoco can deliver at scale and the accelerator for growth is education and collaboration. He states, "Biomaterials are here and people need to understand this." Vimazi uses traditional foams but in an extraordinary way. e company's technology has the ability to engineer the amount of compression that force exhibits to create footwear that is "pace tuned." e forces are different when running a 10-minute mile compared to a 5-minute mile, and traditional midsoles aren't capable of responding optimally to that range of forces. "ink of it as a 3D problem that we are trying to work A Step Change MATERIAL MATTERS Material Innovation Ushers in Performance with a Purpose. By Emily Walzer FOOTWEAR / TEXTILES 14 • Textile Insight ~ November/December 2022 textileinsight.com Active/athletic as well as casual/comfort footwear brands are innovating materials that elevate eco content and enhance performance. Here are a few standouts: EVOCO eco foam insoles are based on the Canadian company's proprietary plant-based chemistry that reduces carbon emissions without compromising performance. e branded insoles, called FATES, will feature in VANS footwear for Spring 2023. VIMAZI Z30 is specifically tuned and designed for elite and sub-elite distance runners. With hi-tech cushioning opti- mized for agility, speed, and max energy efficiency ideal for fast tempo runs, intervals and racing a 10k between 32:30-42:00 or a 2:18-2:55 marathon. ASICS GEL-LYTE III CM 1.95 features a carbon negative foam, made from a fusion of bio-based polymers partly derived from sugarcane, and recycled and solution dyed polyester in the main upper and sock liner. e shoe emits just 1.95kg CO2e across its life cycle, nearly an entire kilogram less than competitor brands, according to the company. Asics' corporate goal is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.