Empowering athletes with sustainable high-performance footwear

Sustainability is becoming a key factor in purchasing decisions, with nearly two-thirds of US consumers willing to pay more for eco-friendly footwear. Industry giants like Adidas, Nike, and New Balance are responding to this trend, with the global market for sustainable running shoes projected to exceed $13 billion by 2030.

Traditional midsole materials like ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) fall short of sustainability goals due to their high VOC content and lack of recyclability. While thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and thermoplastic polyamides (TPE-A) offer some recyclability, they lack the durability required for long-lasting shoes. In addition, current manufacturing processes—often reliant on chemical foaming—contribute to environmental harm. Transitioning to physical or mixed batch foaming methods, combined with robust Thermoplastic materials, is essential to meet sustainability goals.

Advanced materials for high-performance midsoles

Envalior’s Arnitel® TPC is a proven solution for producing high-performance midsoles, with a lower carbon footprint. With its superior mechanical properties and eco-friendly profile, Arnitel® is optimized for physical and mixed batch foaming, offering:

• High Energy Return: Enhanced athletic performance with superior energy return, boosting your results in sports activities Low hysteresis for dynamic rebound and high compression resistance.
• Long Lasting Performance: Durability across various terrains, extending the lifespan of your shoes and reducing the need for frequent replacements
• Consistent Performance: Reliable performance across different climatic conditions ranging from --40°C to 120°C.
• Sustainable: Environmentally friendly with low carbon footprint options 

This versatile material supports circular manufacturing processes and helps footwear brands differentiate their products with sustainable solutions.

Balancing  durability and comfort

Arnitel® offers a unique combination of strength, flexibility, and comfort. Its lightweight structure and thermoplastic elastomeric properties make it ideal for midsoles of Athletic Shoes. Compared to alternative materials, midsoles made from Arnitel® achieve higher rebound and retain energy efficiency after foaming. Thus, ensuring reliability during toughest running conditions.

Enabling circular manufacturing

With its thermoplastic polyester-based structure, Arnitel® simplifies recycling, enabling eco-friendly production. Envalior offers two groundbreaking options:

• Arnitel® Eco: Made with 50% renewable resources from rapeseed oil, it delivers high performance while reducing the carbon footprint by up to 40%.
• Arnitel® B-MB: A mass-balanced drop-in alternative that replaces fossil feedstocks with biomass waste. This ISCC-certified solution maintains the same performance characteristics while significantly lowering environmental impact.

These materials allow manufacturers to align with circular economy principles while meeting consumer expectations for high-quality, sustainable footwear.

With midsoles contributing up to 30% of a shoe’s lifecycle emissions, adopting innovative materials like Arnitel® is essential to reducing environmental impact. Envalior is committed to helping athletic footwear manufacturers transition to circular economy practices, enabling you to deliver products that combine sustainability with superior performance.

Ready to revolutionize athletic footwear with sustainable materials? Partner with Envalior to create high-performance, eco-friendly midsoles that meet consumer and regulatory demands.

Contact us today to explore how our solutions can transform your footwear designs.

Further reading

View related data sheet

Learn more about our materials and applications expertise