Written on 20.12.2012 - Technology
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Bio-TPU reduces weight of football shoe

The GS combines high-end performance and low environmental footprint.

Merquinsa announced that its Pearlthane ECO TPUs are incorporated into Nike’s recently released GS football boot. Andy Caine, global design director for Nike Football, said that the GS is the lightest and fastest football boot the company has ever made and defines a new era in how it creates, designs and produces elite football boots.

The Pearlthane ECO product line has an 82 – 95 Shore A hardness and covers a range of 32 – 46 % bio-based content as demonstrated according to ASTM D-6866. It was specifically designed for the sports and recreation market and provides the required performance properties for high quality footwear. These properties include very good abrasion resistance and cold flexibility combined with improved hydrolysis resistance and good adhesion to other non-TPU shoe components.

With a low density as compared to its petroleum-based counterparts, Pearlthane ECO TPUs provide sports footwear manufacturers with a lightweight and cost-efficient material that contributes to making the Nike GS football boot’s sole plate 15 % lighter than a traditional plate composition.