Huntsman (The Woodlands, Texas / USA; www.huntsman.com) said it has created a new grade of its “Irogran” thermoplastic polyurethane that is fully recyclable, UV-protected, and can be extruded into a film and then easily expanded into foamed sheets.

The polymer was developed in partnership with China’s Shincell New Material (Suzhou; www.shincell.com), and the TPU is being used to make foam sheets used in applications for insoles, midsoles, and forepart inserts by footwear brands.

Designed as an alternative to EVA, the material is said to have high energy return properties and provide long-lasting cushioning performance.

According to the supplier, the TPU film can be easily expanded in a high-pressure vessel using gas-assisted technology and without additional chemicals typically needed for foaming or cross-linking. This is said to make the resulting expanded foam sheet, any post-production scraps, and final footwear components highly lightweight and easy to recycle.