[pageLogInLogOut]

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

The Mass Balance TPU from Covestro's Changhua site advances Chaei Hsin's shoe materials to its circular goal

© 2022 Covestro
Covestro’s Changhua and Shenzhen sites have obtained ISCC Plus certification for mass balance production in the first and second half of 2022, respectively, striving to support the circular aims of their clients, and the first order came to the Changhua site from its long-term value chain partner-Chaei Hsin.

With the new CQ (Circular Intelligence) solution for TPU, Chaei Hsin has upgraded both it’s TPU film series and sport footwear Joniro® with the new recylable material without needing to change any product designs or manufacturing techniques. This solution has not only solved the pain points of Chaei Hsin but has also improved its contribition to the circular economy, and most importantly, the solution can be produced in Taiwan and Mainland China, conveniently supporting all Covestro’s clients in APAC.

  • The Changhua Site has obtained ISCC Plus certification in this April for mass balance production
  • Covestro has supported its client in Taiwan, Chaei Hsin, to reach the circular goal with a more sustainable TPU solution, maintaining the product quality while applying bio-based recycled materials to existing production lines without technical modification

Covestro is aiming to become fully circular, and also encourages its value chains to be part of the circular ecomony, one of which is Chaei Hsin. Covestro’s Changhua site produces TPU applied on footwear, bags, eletronics, medical devices, apparel, sport gears, and climbing gears. Chaei Hsin has been dedicated to the prosperous footwear industry in Taiwan for past years, and now creates its own brand, Joniro®, with the target of becoming the leading brand using recycled shoe materials in Asia. To achieve this goal, Chaei Hsin has tried many approaches to producing sustainable materials, however, those solutions all failed due to high increase in costs, emissions, and defect rates, impeding its pursuit of a circular economy. Luckily, Covestro’s ISCC Plus certified mass-balance TPU solution, made with Desmopan® CQ and Utechllan® CQ, was the answer. It can be directly integrated into current production processes without technical modifications, and delivers identical physical properties and performance quality. This solution helped Chaei Hsin raise productivity and meet the market needs efficiently.

The Desmopan® CQ and Utechllan® CQ series offer exceptional resistance to hydrolysis, radiation, oil grease, abrasion, solvents, and weathering, which provides excellent surface protection for Chaei Hsin's sports shoe brand, Joniro®, assisting Chaei Hsin to satisfy high customer demands for more personalized, comfortable, sustainable shoes, sharpening the brand's competitive edge in the consumer market, and also decreasing the environmental impact. “Covestro is our our long-term and trusted partner. We are pleased to now also use the new, more sustainable materials to protect our environment. Covestro's mass-compatible TPU solution has effectively solved our current challenges, and we can't wait to use more of Covestro's more sustainable materials to further transform our product portfolio.”

Said Wang Shuimu, General Manager of Chaei Hsin.



The mass balance approach is now widely used in many of Covestro’s sites located in Europe and the APAC region. In mass balancing, bio-based raw materials are used and this saves fossil raw materials and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, while the product quality remains the same compared to purely fossil-based ones. Dr. Carsten Wildebrand, Managing Director of Covestro Taiwan added,“Covestro’s Changhua site, which is the largest TPU production site in the APAC region, had obtained ISCC Plus certification for the mass-balance approach earlier this year, and we are expecting to introduce more sustainable raw materials to the fields of IT, electronics, shoes, films, and medicals in the innovative APAC market. “

Alec Yang, Head of TPU Sales and Market Development Taiwan & ASEAN of Covestro also added,“ Alternative and bio-based materials for fossil-based products are what Covestro is looking for and aiming to. We are happy that our solution takes clients one step closer to their ambition of joining the circular economy. By doing this we are also contributing to the zero emission in scope 3. We are looking forward to more cooperation with our clients, together making the world a brighter place.”



More News from Covestro AG

#Smart Textiles

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

#Techtextil 2026

Covestro to exhibit solutions for a more sustainable and productive textile industry at Techtextil 2026

Covestro will present a broad portfolio of material innovations for textile coatings, adhesive films and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) at Techtextil 2026 (Hall 11.0, Booth C79). The exhibits will demonstrate how advanced solutions can enhance durability, recyclability and manufacturing efficiency across applications such as automotive, infrastructure, protective apparel and sportswear. A particular focus will be on more sustainable coating technologies, including antimicrobial systems based on INSQIN® in combination with AGXX from Heraeus Precious Metals, as well as the integration of Pontacol® thermoplastic adhesive films into Covestro’s offering.

#Technical Textiles

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

#Textile chemistry

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

More News on Textiles & Apparel / Garment

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Carrington Textiles publishes third Sustainability Report

Carrington Textiles has announced the publication of the third Sustainability Report from the RTS Textiles Group, highlighting another year of progress towards more responsible manufacturing across its global operations. The report outlines continued investment in technologies and initiatives designed to improve environmental performance and support long-term business resilience across the Group’s manufacturing facilities in the UK, Portugal and Pakistan.

#Textile processing

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

Latest News

#ITMA 2027

ITMA 2027 receives strong industry response

ITMA 2027 has unveiled its sector plan, marking progress towards the 2027 edition as planning continues ahead of the show. The ITMA 2027 sector plan covers 12 halls at the Messegelände Hannover venue, spanning over 180,000 square metres, and features 20 sectors of the textile and garment making processes, from spinning to finishing, software and automation, recycling, and fibres, yarns and fabrics.

#Heimtextil 2027

Heimtextil expands Bed, Bath & Living with new ‘Comfort & Connect’ area

Heimtextil is expanding its product range for Bed, Bath & Living in a targeted manner: ‘Comfort & Connect‘ is creating a new meeting place in the foyer of Hall 5.1 for high-quality bed, bath and lifestyle collections. Following on from ‘Sleep & Meet‘, this is now the second area where Heimtextil is further refining its offering for exhibitors and buyers. The new area brings together established brands, high-profile returning exhibitors and international buyers in a central location with easy access.

#Associations

Business situation weakens slightly, but the industry stays cautiously optimistic

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published the results of its 39th Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS), conducted from 14 to 22 July 2026 among companies along the entire global textile value chain. Worldwide, 10% of participants rated their business situation as good, 53% as satisfactory and 37% as bad — a balance of -26pp, down from -17pp in May but still well above the 2023 lows. All regions are now in negative territory, from South Asia at -3pp to North & Central America at -58pp.

#Man-Made Fibers

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

TOP