#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2022-09-12

BASF at Simac - Go!Create your shoes with BASF materials

First concept shoe made entirely from sustainable BASF materials co-created with design house Maddy Plant © 2022 BASF

Simac, the international machinery and technology exhibition for shoes, will once again be opening its doors. This year BASF (hall 14 booth, F33/F37/G34/G38) will exhibit its wide range of new solutions for the shoe industry: a concept shoe made entirely out of BASF materials, boots which stay soft even at minus 40 degrees, light and high rebound soles for safety shoes and sustainable footwear solutions. On top BASF will present 3D printed shoes as well as coatings solutions to protect the soles.

More energy@work: Light materials with high rebound

For extreme conditions: Boots that remain soft at winter temperatures

Win-win: High performance solutions are made sustainable

Bubble shoe: Creativity in times of lockdown

New dimension: Completely 3D printed high heels and climbing shoes

From sports to safety shoes: low density, high elasticity

Light and high rebound are main requirements when it comes to the midsole of sports shoes. In this field BASF is one of the top suppliers of polyurethane (PU) materials. But what is valid for sports shoes should also be true for safety shoes. High rebound which guarantees soft dampening effects and lightweight soles are decisive for the comfort also of safety shoes. BASF transferred their knowledge from the sports sector to the safety shoe sector. The result are PU materials that safety producers waited for – it allows highest productivity by the direct soling process and comes with conformance to all safety norm requirements.

Completely 3D printed high heels © 2022 BASF

Winter boots made from PU stay soft even at minus degrees

Thanks to close cooperation with boots manufacturers, BASF further improved the performance of Elastopan® polyurethane systems for boots. The result is a PU system for winter boots that provides outstanding properties: highest thermal insulation, keeping the feet warm, and provides high comfort even at low temperatures until minus 40 degrees. That makes this Elastopan® perfect for boots to wear during your winter adventure or – if combined with a toe cap – even on an oil rig in Alaska.

BASF offers a broad portfolio of sustainable footwear solutions

BASF will present a concept shoe that is entirely made of sustainable products – the athleisure shoe ‘MADGAMMA - Intertekk Saturn’. The upper of the shoe is made with the 100% recyclable monofilament fiber Freeflex™ thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The replaceable midsole consists of the comfortable and biobased Elastopan® N polyurethane series. Another replaceable midsole option is made with TPU foaming, which has a lower density, high energy return, and is recyclable.

Beside these products, other sustainable solutions such as the biomass balance approach and Ccycled Infinergy®, will be shown. BASF experts will be glad to discuss with you the right material for your environmental goals.

Footwear Design Content: In the lockdown we lived in bubbles, which now appear in award winning shoes

The creations from the last design contest of the school for design Calzaturiero Politecnico, Padua, Italy reminds us to the how we lived during Covid – like in bubbles. This feeling inspired the designers for the soles – the outsole is a transparent tread made of multiple bubbles. These bubbles enable us to look through to the midsole, which is bright and colorful. For the upper the students used recycled material from footwear and textile manufacturing scraps. The perfect combination between technology and craftsmanship can be found in the three winning shoes which are presented at Simac.

Less is more – the first in-mold coating with integrated demolding properties

Furthermore, BASF will present NovaCoat-D that combines in-mold coating and release coating in a new way. Besides its demold properties, the coating provides additional functionalities for soles such as protection against sunlight, scratches, and dirt. Thanks to its many years of expertise, BASF can offer a wide range of colors and effects. NovaCoat-D can be applied either manually or automatically.

The perfect combination between technology and craftsmanship – the winner shoe from the Footwear Design Contest 2022 from BASF and Politecnico Calzaturiero, Italy © 2022 BASF

3D Printing materials and solutions for the footwear industry

Forward AM, the brand of BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, will present information at SIMAC 2022 on 3D printing materials and solutions for the complete design and development process of footwear. Along with samples of molds, lasts and soles, visitors can discover 3D printed climbing shoes made with the flexible Ultrasint® TPU01 powder. By leveraging the principles of design for Additive Manufacturing, the first individualized 3D printed climbing shoe came to life. This innovative technology not only simplifies the assembly of the shoe, but also reduces the production time required for customized footwear. Forward AM’s flexible materials, such as Ultrasint® TPU01, are based on Elastollan® by BASF, which offers customers across industries broad cross-technology solutions.

More information: http://www.simac.basf.com

The Technology Hub for global denim trends: ITM 2026

The ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, to be held at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Istanbul from June 9–13, 2026, brings together groundbreaking technologies in denim production. From smart production systems to eco-friendly raw materials, from digital washing solutions to laser effect technologies, innovations that will shape the future of denim will be showcased for the first time at ITM 2026.

YKK receives ISPO Textrends Awards for circular innovations

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) is pleased to announce that the ISPO Textrends judges have selected YKK's 3D Composite Puller as the Best Product in the Accessories category. They also selected YKK’s NATULON Plus® Fiber Sourced™ zipper with Recycled PET Open Parts as a Top 5 item in the same category. The competition, held twice a year in conjunction with the ISPO trade show, recognizes the most innovative performance textiles, components, and apparel.

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris unveils redesigned show layout for 2026

From February 2 to 4, 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will once again bring together all the key players in textiles and clothing at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Center. For 3 days, visitors will discover, compare and select among 1,300 suppliers who will shape the collections of tomorrow, from ready-to-wear to luxury.

Asteks and Nexrone launch global investment initiative

A new joint investment company, Westure Ventures, has been founded by Asteks and Nexrone to focus on the development of next-generation transformative technologies. Türkiye’s long-established industrial powerhouse Asteks and one of the rising innovative forces in Europe’s startup ecosystem Nexrone Global announced the launch of their new investment company built on a shared vision: Westure Ventures.

Happy Holidays!

Dear reader, the year 2025 is drawing to a close. We are entering what we hope will be a peaceful holiday season, spending time with our families and taking a moment to pause and reflect. We hope we have been able to support you once again this year with relevant news and articles, and we look forward to surprising you with many innovations in the coming year. Enjoy the festive season, stay healthy, and we wish you a happy and joyful holiday season.

Texpertise Focus AI: Messe Frankfurt puts Artificial Intelligence centre stage at its international textile and apparel trade fairs

Under the banner 'Texpertise Focus AI, Messe Frankfurt will place a strong emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) across its international textile and apparel trade fairs from 2026 onwards, setting a future-shaping signal for the industry. The initiative highlights the responsible use of AI along the entire textile value chain, from fibre production to the point of sale. The programme will launch at Heimtextil in Frankfurt in January 2026.

Autoneum and Polestar set new benchmarks for passenger experience and sustainability

As the global market leader in sustainable acoustic and thermal management, Autoneum is a key supplier of interior and exterior components for the highly anticipated Polestar 5 model. The successful collaboration between Autoneum and Polestar marks a significant milestone in sustainable automotive engineering: the electric grand tourer sports car features several innovations in lightweight, fully recyclable polyester-based components that ensure a superior driving experience. Polestar 5 was revealed at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich and is available in 24 markets.