Textile Insight

By technical definition, biopolymers are polymers produced by living organisms (i.e. plants and animals). They are naturally occurring. In the realm of plastics, which are always human-made, the preferred nomenclature is bio-based polymer. Bio-based polymers are plastics composed of, at least in part, a percentage of renewable materials, often sugarcane, corn and other plant stocks. While those definitions are fairly universal, the nomenclature is not. Biopolymer, bio-based polymer, bioplastic, and bio-based plastic are often used interchangeably. Further complicating the issue is biodegradability. A plastic's capacity to biodegrade is not based exclusively on the source material, but rather on the chemical structure of that plastic. For that reason, some petroleum-based, non-renewable plastics are fully biodegradable, while a 100% bio-based plastic with a different chemical structure may not be. Certainly, source materials matter toward evolving a less impactful footwear industry. Between source and structure (hence end of life options), however, it's confusing for consumers, let alone manufacturers and brands, to navigate. This complexity illustrates why a more environmentally sound future for the footwear industry may be: "What is the end of life for this product?" OrthoLite Cirql: A Recyclable and Industrially Compostable Footwear Foam On the technical side, OrthoLite Cirql is a patented footwear foam made from a proprietary, chemical-free foaming technology that uses a 43% bio-based polymer. That polymer is made from responsibly-sourced, renewable plant material, which is converted into monomers and combined with other biodegradable monomers through the use of proprietary polymerization technologies. The remaining 57% of the polymer is made up of biodegradable and compostable monomers. What does it mean "in real life"? OrthoLite Cirql is a true soil- to-soil solution that can be composted at industrial facilities into usable, nutrient-rich compost. OrthoLite Cirql foam has been certified through third-party validation, by Din Certco, as industrially compostable under ASTM D6400 and EN13432. The Promise and Challenges of Industrial Composting Composting is the managed biodegradation of organic material. It uses air/oxygen, water, heat, microorganisms, and occasionally pressure to transform the material into a rich compost that's an ideal growth medium and additive for plants. Though they rely on the same elements, industrial composting and backyard composting are very different in application. OrthoLite Cirql foam is only certified and suited for industrial composting facilities. Industrial composting is a more highly calibrated process than we practice in our backyard compost bins. Industrial facilities can exert precise control over the various factors, and achieve higher, sustained temperatures in order to effectively and time sensitively compost materials that home composters cannot. When properly managed, industrial composting as an end-of-life solution for footwear foam has enormous potential to support the principles of a circular economy…at scale! Industrial Composting Potential • OrthoLite Cirql-based footwear will serve a functional, usable lifespan, then be converted into usable, nutrient-rich soil. • This has potential to massively lower waste in landfills from the tens of millions of shoes thrown away each year. There is a gap we must close in order to fulfill that exciting potential. Industrial Composting Challenges • Access: Though over 4,700 industrial composting facilities exist in the U.S. alone, not all are equipped to compost biopolymer- based foams. • Separation: It will be difficult for consumers to separate OrthoLite Cirql foam from glues and other shoe materials in order to compost. Barrett acknowledges the real-world challenges to delivering on the massive promise of scaling the industrial composting of footwear foam. "It will require a concerted and unified industry effort. And we will be actively committed to being part of the solution," Barrett said. Solutions • Increased consumer access to specialized facilities, via national, industry-backed, take-back programs. • Training compost facilities for biopolymer-based foams. These challenges are not insurmountable, especially if the footwear industry and stakeholders can band together toward solutions. With the potential to be recycled or industrially composted, OrthoLite Cirql foam is firmly on the forefront of a more sustainable, less wasteful, and more regenerative industry. n Fall 2023 ~ Textile Insight • 37

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