#Textile chemistry

2019-02-15

HUNTSMAN launches five new footwear technologies ahead of SIMAC 2019

Ahead of this year’s SIMAC show in Milan, Italy, Huntsman’s footwear team has announced the launch of three new water-blown polyurethane technologies that it will be promoting at the 2019 footwear fair. The business also revealed details of two brand new AVALON® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) grades.

New technologies will be key focus at forthcoming footwear event

Visit Huntsman at SIMAC 2019 - Hall 14, Booth A44: 20 to 22 February 2019

Four months after launching its DALTOPED® AquaPUR technology, Huntsman has developed three additional technologies – creating a portfolio of innovative, fully water-blown, polyether soling solutions that provide excellent flow and surface definition and can improve the look and feel of shoe soles.

DALTOPED® AquaPUR GRIP technology delivers all the advantages of DALTOPED® AquaPUR technology but offers a softer compound resulting in greater slip resistance.

DALTOPED® AquaPUR Lite technology enables footwear manufacturers to decrease the weight of shoe soles by up to 35% and is ideal for the production of slippers and low heel sandals.

DALTOPED® AquaPUR Lite ENERGY technology is perfect for high quality footwear thanks to its superior energy return which offers up to 40% more rebound than standard systems.

Huntsman’s DALTOPED® AquaPUR technologies are designed for footwear manufacturers that want to make the switch to using a water-blown system but don’t want to compromise on quality. As standard, DALTOPED® AquaPUR technologies provide good cold flex properties plus hydrolysis and slip resistance. Suitable for the direct-on process and casting of unit soles and midsoles, DALTOPED®AquaPUR technologies are compatible with standard polyurethane processing machines. Offering excellent flow characteristics, they can enable the production of complex soling designs in multiple color combinations. They also have superior blend stability in the machine tank and can be processed at room temperature - which helps reduce energy consumption and shortens the production cycle.

Huntsman will also be promoting two brand new highly transparent TPU grades at SIMAC 2019. AVALON® 65 DHT TPU and AVALON® 85 AHT TPU are the latest additions to the company’s popular AVALON® AHT range, which was first launched back in 2014. Providing harder and softer alternatives to AVALON® 90 AHT and AVALON® 95 AHT grades, the new grades join a family of products that offer excellent UV resistance combined with high mechanical properties.

Huntsman and Steitz Secura deliver breakthrough in sustainable safety footwear

Huntsman, in collaboration with Steitz Secura, has developed a breakthrough polyurethane (PU) solution that can help improve the circularity of safety footwear. Together, the two companies have created a DALTOPED® polyurethane midsole system that can incorporate recycled content without compromising performance – setting a new benchmark in protective footwear production.

Huntsman secures bluesign® APPROVED status for IROGRAN® TPU products

Global chemical company Huntsman has secured bluesign® approval for ten of its IROGRAN® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) products, which are used extensively across the textile and apparel industry. The materials in question are part of Huntsman’s IROGRAN® film and sheet portfolio, and can be used to enhance the production, performance, and comfort of stitchless, seamless garments including underwear, sportswear, and outdoor and waterproof clothing.

Jeanologia urges industry to accelerate PP Spray phase-out following ZDHC Watchlist update

Potassium permanganate has officially entered the Chemical Watchlist of the ZDHC Foundation, signaling increased scrutiny and potential phase-out of one of the most hazardous chemicals still used in denim finishing. The inclusion confirms an industry shift that Jeanologia anticipated more than a decade ago.

RUDOLF gets the exclusive global distribution rights for Sanitized® textile technologies

With effect from today, RUDOLF officially assumes exclusive global distribution rights for Sanitized® textile technologies from SANITIZED AG. This is the next milestone in the strategic collaboration announced in 2025, with the partnership between the two companies now fully implemented and expanded worldwide.

organIQ seek: smart alternative to potassium permanganate

CHT Group announces new technical findings within its organIQ seek platform that significantly advance the transition toward permanganate-free denim bleaching. Through extensive industrial testing and application research, CHT confirms that organIQ seek can now be used with remarkable effectiveness as a substitute for potassium permanganate in spray bleach, while remaining aligned with sustainability expectations and cost realities in the European market. At the COLOMBIATEX in Medellín as well as at the Exintex in Puebla and the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam the CHT Group will present organIQ seek as an alternative to potassium permanganate.

DIENES at Techtextil 2026: Flexible pilot lines for bio-based fiber development

The growing relevance of bio-based materials in technical textiles is accompanied by increasing demands for reproducibility, high-quality data, and scalable process routes. Especially when working with cellulose and its derivatives, chitosan, lignin-based approaches, or bio-based PAN as a carbon-fiber precursor, R&D teams face variable feedstock quality, tighter process windows, and the need for reliable comparability across trials. This calls for flexible, data-driven experimental setups that can be reconfigured efficiently when recipes, solvents, and raw-material batches change.

Gunold showcases embroidery product range and services at Texprocess

At Texprocess 2026, GUNOLD will present numerous hands-on examples related to embroidery in Hall 8, Booth E20. The focus is on creative embroidery designs as well as the extensive product range of threads, nonwovens, and accessories for embroidery and embellishment. “Trade visitors can once again look forward to many new and creative embroidery designs. Of course, we will also showcase the matching products required to bring these ideas to life,” announces Marketing Manager Stephan Gunold.

A Powerful Opening: Global thought leaders launch the International Cotton Conference Bremen

The International Cotton Conference Bremen will open on 25 March 2026 in the Parliament building of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen with a keynote session of exceptional calibre. Distinguished international experts will set the stage for the conference by offering incisive perspectives on the most pressing challenges and the defining trends shaping the future of the global cotton trade. Their insights will span a broad spectrum — from geopolitically driven disruptions affecting global supply chains to the opportunities emerging from innovation-led agriculture capable of supporting a growing world population. Together, these opening keynotes will frame the dialogue of the conference, highlighting both the complexity of today’s market environment and the pathways toward a resilient and forward-looking cotton sector.