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#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

BASF at SIMAC 2025: Recycling meets Performance – PU solutions for the future of footwear

BASF is presenting new materials, concepts and recycling methods for polyurethanes in footwear at SIMAC Tanning Tech. The leading international trade fair will take place from September 23-25 in Milan, Italy. We will showcase our unique and integrated toolbox of Elastopan® (PU) and thermoplastic polyurethanes Elastollan® and Infinergy®. Together with our partners and customers we bring innovative products to the market offering utmost lightness paired with mechanical performance and automated processing.
A shoe with spring vibes of Elastopan® SpringPURe – created by Desma and BASF. © 2025 BASF
A shoe with spring vibes of Elastopan® SpringPURe – created by Desma and BASF. © 2025 BASF


The new sustainable material developments and recycling methods for the footwear industry will be presented at BASF, hall 10, G56/H55.

Circularity is more than an option

Circular economy is one of the major topics in all industries. The concept of meltable PU is an essential step forward towards a circular future of footwear: Bottom units, upper parts or even complete shoes made of meltable PU or combinations of TPU and PU are ready for mechanical recycling concepts. The new TPU Elastollan® RC with up to 100% recycled content can be used as a raw material for new shoe parts. Alongside this concept, we are unveiling further strategies for circularity: by utilizing depolymerization, both post-industrial and post-consumer footwear waste can be incorporated into new polyurethane shoe soles. Alternatively, ChemCycling® enables us to achieve up to 100% attributed recycled feedstock by utilizing end-of-life tires or mixed plastic waste.

Get the spring vibes with the new Elastopan®SpringPURe

Imagine a PU that’s as light as a spring breeze but tough enough to handle any adventure—welcome to the SpringPURe portfolio! These products feature low density without sacrificing durability and performance you expect from polyurethane. Whether you’re after the bouncy flexibility of polyether-based materials or the easy processing of polyester-based options (perfect for top-tier safety shoes), SpringPURe has it all. We support all the latest production methods, from classic casting to direct injection. Our collaboration with Stemma S.R.L. brings together our SpringPURe material advances with Stemma's NUCLEOOS technology, a hybrid technology for chemical-physical foaming. Together, we create lighter midsoles with outstanding style and performance, seamlessly integrating into existing polyurethane molding processes.

Next-Gen footwear: Merging automated manufacturing with cutting-edge materials

Experience the next level of automated footwear creation with our collaboration alongside Desma Schuhmaschinen GmbH. Together, we’re rethinking design flexibility and enhancing lightweight comfort—showcasing concepts such as direct soling with Elastopan®SpringPURe lightweight midsoles combined with robust Elastollan® TPU film outsoles. Explore the possibilities of fully automated PU processing, paired with the dynamic elasticity of Infinergy®, resulting in exceptional midsoles crafted in a single step. The classic "Detonate" cupsole concept brings tradition into the future, utilizing foamed TPU to achieve adaptable densities and superior performance. Meanwhile, Desma’s cutting-edge SCF machine streamlines production to deliver ultra-light Infinergy® midsoles with outstanding elasticity and energy return.

Visit BASF at Simac 2025, hall 10, booth G56/H55



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#Techtextil 2026

BASF at Techtextil 2026: Helping to shape the future of the textile industry with tangible solutions

At the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens from April 21 to 24, 2026 at the Messe Frankfurt, BASF will present numerous solutions and new projects in the textile sector to customers and partners at booth B 68 in hall 11.0. The focus is on product innovations and future-oriented technologies.

#Textile chemistry

A flagship for chemical production: BASF inaugurates world-scale Verbund site in China

BASF today (March 26, 2026) celebrated the official inauguration of its newly built, world-scale Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China. Covering an area of around four square kilometers, it is more than a major BASF project in the chemical growth market of China. “Zhanjiang shows what the future of chemistry looks like: efficient, digital and sustainable by design. The site showcases a smart integrated Verbund structure on an industrial scale,” said Dr. Markus Kamieth, CEO of BASF, at the ceremony attended by representatives from government, customers, business partners and employees.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

trinamiX with new management

BASF is examining strategic options for its subsidiary trinamiX GmbH. trinamiX specializes in biometric imaging and mobile material analysis. These activities are not part of BASF’s core business, on which the company is focusing as part of the implementation of its new strategy.

#Research & Development

How innovations drive BASF’s success

“Innovation has always been part of BASF’s DNA. Especially in these volatile times, it is crucial to leverage our innovative strength to develop competitive solutions that differentiate us as a company in our markets and give us a competitive edge,” said Dr. Stephan Kothrade, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF and Chief Technology Officer, at the company’s Research Press Briefing held today. To achieve this, BASF implemented its “Winning Ways” strategy about a year ago with the clear goal of becoming the preferred chemical company to enable its customers’ green transformation.

More News on Textiles & Apparel / Garment

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Val:ue Milan unveiled – a curated boutique business hub for high-end apparel textiles

Messe Frankfurt continues to expand its international textile network with the announcement of Val:ue Milan. Moving beyond the traditional trade fair model, Val:ue Milan debuts as a prestigious, boutique-style business hub exclusively dedicated to elected fabrics and accessories for apparel. Taking place from February 3 to 5, 2027, at The Mall in Porta Nuova, the event breaks away from conventional formats through a strictly curated environment designed for strategic networking. By bridging the gap between high-end international manufacturers and top-tier segment buyers, Val:ue Milan further strengthens the Group’s global portfolio with a unique, high-impact concept built around a refined and carefully selected offering.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Solving the Feedstock Gap: Unlocking Post-consumer Feedstocks for Textile-to-Textile Recycling in Europe

Fashion for Good launches Project FAE (Feedstock Activation Europe) to develop the sorting and pre-processing infrastructure needed to channel non-rewearable post-consumer textiles into textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling at scale. The project is a practical response to one of the most pressing problems in textile circularity: making post-consumer waste a viable, commercially competitive raw material for recyclers.

#Sustainability

Practical toolkit to drive coordinated climate action launched

An open-access workshop toolkit enables brands, suppliers, policymakers and investors across the textile industry to apply the System Map in their own work, identifying leverage points to halve emissions and enable a just transition.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

YKK launches “YZiP® Light” aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has launched YZiP® Light, a lightweight aluminum alloy zipper for cotton pants, with sales beginning in late March. The introduction of YZiP® Light expands YKK’s zipper portfolio—led by the flagship YZiP® copper alloy zipper—providing customers with greater flexibility to meet diverse garment needs.

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#Denim

TENCEL™ Lyocell - HV100 achieves global denim availability in six months; Vol. 2 debuts at Kingpins Amsterdam

When TENCEL™ Lyocell - HV100 debuted at last year’s Kingpins Amsterdam in October, 17 mill partners across five countries presented fabrics featuring the new fiber. Just six months on, participation has more than doubled, evolving into a global network that spans nine countries and four continents, signaling both strong industry momentum and growing demand.

#Digital Printing

Kornit Digital acquires PrintFactory to accelerate the industry’s transition to digital, on-demand production

Kornit Digital Ltd. (“Kornit Digital”, “Kornit” or the “Company”), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand, digital fashion and textile production, today announced its acquisition of PrintFactory, a global Netherlands-based technology leader of cloud-native workflow, color management and production automation software. The acquisition represents a strategic step in Kornit’s mission to accelerate the digital transformation of the global fashion and textile industry.

#Knitting & Hosiery

Closing completed – Mayer & Cie. Global starts business operations

The future of the Mayer & Cie. brand has been secured: Following the successful completion of the purchase agreement for assets in the circular knitting machinery segment of the German traditional company Mayer & Cie., which was signed in February this year, the brand will continue to exist. The transfer of these assets to the new owner, Xu Hongjie, was formally completed yesterday afternoon. This clears the way for the resumption of business operations at the Albstadt site.

#Associations

Europe is losing its textile industry

EURATEX has released its latest Economic Update on the performance of the European textile and apparel industry in 2025. For the third consecutive year, the sector recorded negative results across all key indicators — production, turnover and employment — confirming a continued erosion of competitiveness across Europe.

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