Huntsman partners with Keen to develop sneakers with bio-based polyurethane soles

Footwear experts at Huntsman helped Keen develop a breakthrough production innovation—a line of sneakers with bio-based polyurethane soles
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Developed by Keen's Advanced Concepts team, the Field to Foot (F2F) sneaker features a Huntsman-developed bio-based polyurethane system that contains by-products of agricultural processing
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Polyurethane systems range from 35% to 51% bio-content and have a lower carbon footprint than existing petroleum-based alternatives
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Developed by Huntsman's Belgian Footwear Centre, the system is based on Huntsman's DALTOPED ® S polyurethane technology platform and is a custom sole solution for Keen
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The solution offers performance comparable to conventional systems in terms of resilience, resilience, hydrolysis, comfort and durability - but crucially, it is fully in line with the brand's vision for clean, eco-friendly, high-performance The promise of technology infused into its footwear
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Discussions between Huntsman and Keen began in late 2020 and development work on the F2F project began in early 2021
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Collaborating throughout the pandemic, Keen and Huntsman brought together experts from their global operations to collaborate remotely
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Colleagues from the US, Europe and Asia were involved in the development, scale-up and production of the system
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For the most part, teams interact online, but there are some face-to-face meetings at the end of the project
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As the soles went into production, Huntsman's technical service team traveled to Keen's manufacturing facility in Thailand to provide on-site support
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Keen describes its F2F sneaker, due in late September 2021, as one of its most important eco-friendly technology releases and a meaningful step towards setting a new industry standard for more sustainable footwear
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Dave Burge, a UK-based polyurethane specialist who worked with Keen and Huntsman to develop the technology, said: "The use of agro-processing by-products in polyurethane is an important step in transforming the footwear industry's supply chain
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And the science behind this shoe is serious business, But the products themselves are fun and familiar.

The Field to Foot collection has a classic look and forward-looking, leaving a smaller carbon footprint on the planet
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It reinforces our commitment to detoxing the planet, while demonstrating how cutting-edge technology can bring Come for fun and comfort
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The F2F sneaker was originally released as a limited release in September 2021 and sold out quickly
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Keen will roll out the product in full on August 1, 2022, and expects the project to have huge demand
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Additionally, Huntsman and Keen are collaborating on several other sustainability-based projects as part of their joint effort to reduce the impacts of climate change
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