FAQ

Polyvinyl chloride PVC

The characteristics of PVC are as follow: good plasticity, high temperature resistance, good acid and alkali resistance, oil resistance, water resistance, high insulation, low price, good anti-slip effect, poor air permeability, not folding resistance and easy to break at low temperature, recyclable, It is widely used in shoe materials, but it has been less used because of environmental problems. Some countries prohibit the use of shoe materials.

Thermoplastic Rubber TPR

It has the elasticity and good physical properties of rubber, and its softness is better than PVC, high temperature and low temperature resistance, water resistance, wear resistance and bend is better than PVC, but worse than rubber. The hardness range is wide, and it can also be recycled as thermoplastic materials. It can replace the sole made of PVC, and the price is moderate.

Polyurethane PU

It is a kind of polymer material, which is made of polyester foam and can be divided into oily and water-based. The characteristics of PU are Lighter, good elasticity, soft texture, good air permeability, good wear resistance, bend resistance , acid and alkali resistance and anti-skid properties, excellent tear resistance, good shock absorption, low temperature resistance, but it has poor performance on water permeability and is not water-resistant. If it is not worn for a long time, it will be hydrolyzed due to the moisture in the air. The price is expensive. It is mostly used in the production of sports shoes, advanced leather shoes, casual shoes or working shoes.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane TPU

A kind of TPE, The characteristics of TPU are high elongation, good thermo plasticity, excellent wear resistance, high tear strength, high tension, and high tensile force, good bend resistance, hydrolysis and antibacterial resistance, nice anti-slip effect ,oil-resistant and flame-retardant. It can be made into transparent or any color products. It can be 100% recyclable. It has the characteristics of both rubber and plastic, and is environmentally friendly. All materials used in PVC can be replaced by TPU, but the price is very expensive.

Rubber

Good elasticity, good wear resistance, bend resistance, anti-skid, good ductility, stable shrinkage, not easy to crack. It is the best material for soles. However, it has poor air permeability and is not resistant to oil. It is necessary to avoid places such as kitchens where there may be oil stains on the wearing path. Due to the rising awareness of environmental protection, many brands have designated a certain percentage of recycled materials in the rubber raw materials used in their production factories. There are many ways to recycle finished rubber materials. The easiest way is to grind them into powder as filler for rubber soles. The weight is also heavier than other materials. Generally speaking, the process of rubber processing is cumbersome and the production cost is higher than other materials.

EVA

It is copolymerized by ethylene and vinyl acetate. If the content of vinyl acetate is higher, the transparency and softness will be improved. EVA has low density and light weight, good physical properties, softness, elasticity and shock absorption, which can relieve foot pressure. It is the same soft in high temperature and low temperature. It’s easy to process, but not wear-resistant and not oil-resistant. Although ethylene and vinyl acetate are non-toxic, but not easy to corrode the characteristics of environmental protection. It should be noted that EVA will spontaneously ignite, and the spontaneous combustion temperature is about 260 degrees Celsius (500 degrees Fahrenheit), so EVA needs to be properly placed. Commonly used in midsole, slippers, jogging shoes, sports shoes, and training shoes.

NBR

It is a kind of synthetic rubber, which is a copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene monomers. If the higher the nitrile content, the stronger the corrosion resistance, but the worse the elasticity. The characteristics of NBR are excellent oil resistance, great wear resistance, good heat resistance and anti-aging performance. However, it is cold intolerance, poor insulation. It’s not suitable for insulating materials. Although the elasticity is worse than that of general rubber, the corrosion resistance is better than that of general rubber.

Other Composite Materials

It is a new material that uses advanced technology to optimize the combination of materials with different properties. Composite materials must be artificially manufactured, and use at least two or more materials with different chemical and physical properties to form new raw materials in proportion and distribution. Generally, composite materials not only maintain the performance of the original material, but also through the complementary performance of each component. Correlation can achieve aggregate performance that is not possible by material alone.