St. Louis, Missouri -- BayOne Urethane Systems llc has developed a new polyurethane system using a natural oil polyol (NOP), which is suitable for low-density insole.
This Bayflex NOP 1002 product moulds to a density of 16-20 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) and has a renewable resource content of about 18 percent by weight.
BayOne, a unit of Bayer MaterialScience LLC, said NOPs are one of the building blocks of the company's sustainability programme.
BayOne is "an active participant in the footwear industry, with numerous insole, midsole, and outsole polyurethane formulations for military and recreational applications," said Mark Vanover, marketing manager, BayOne Urethane Systems.
"We're thrilled to expand our already strong offering with an insole system that responds to market interest in sustainable footwear formulations - without sacrificing desirable low-density properties."
Bayflex NOP 1002's moulded density of 16-20 pcf approaches that of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), said the company, so that it provides an economical, more durable alternative, while reducing the consumption of petroleum-derived raw materials.
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