Textile Insight

W ith a slew of new legislation being enforced banning sales of footwear made with toxic chemicals, and pressure building for businesses to meet their am- bitious sustainability goals, corporate eco-forward initiatives will be top of mind across the industry in the year ahead. To keep pace with new demands, brands and material suppliers alike are focusing on design and development of footwear with a lighter environmental impact. According to Accenture's Accelerating Global Companies toward Net Zero by 2050 report, many companies are not on track to meet net zero goals by 2050 and need to accelerate. e report concludes that "reaching net zero will require urgent and profound transformations, as it is about embedding sustainability into everything organizations do, redefining their purpose, culture and business models." Companies have made strides in sustainable solutions in footwear for years, however, the race to mitigate PFAS in shoes (and sogoods) is one challenge that is heating up significantly as more laws regarding PFAS have gone into effect across the nation. California and New York passed legislation, effective January 1, 2025, restricting the use of PFAS in athletic footwear and other textiles. According to Safer States, a national alliance of envi- ronmental health organizations, at least 36 states are considering more than 450 bills on toxic chemical-related policies. Approximately a dozen states have already outlawed products with PFAS. PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals used in many consumer products. Toxicity and longevity go hand in hand with PFAS, commonly referred to as "forever chem- icals" because they are difficult to break down in the environment. PFAS has long been key to waterproof performance in footwear, as well as fabric treatments and finishes for several decades. "People have known for years that 'forever chemicals' are harmful for the environment and need to be addressed, and now legislation is pushing the time- line for that agenda," states Mark Mathews, VP of sales at Scarpa. He explains that Scarpa, a long-time brand partner with W.L. Gore, has been actively working for the last 18 months toward transitioning its current Gore-Tex application to a new Gore-Tex technology. Called ePE, the new expanded Polyethylene (ePE) membrane, free of PFAS chemicals, is light, thin yet strong and has a reduced carbon footprint. All Scarpa run, hike and trail footwear will feature Gore-Tex ePE in 2025. "We were PFAS-free compliant as of January first," explains Mathews. e current market forces in the marketplace have varying levels of influence but together contribute to ongoing shis in footwear trends. New Regulations and Technology Advancements Drive Sustainability Efforts. By Emily Walzer FOOTWEAR / MATERIALS 8 • Textile Insight ~ Winter 2025 textileinsight.com EQUAL FOOTING Topo Athletic shoe with eVent StormST plant-based membrane technology. Photo: Topo Athletic

• Cover