NEWS
European Commission awards Dow Grant to pursue sustainable footwear project
Dow Polyurethane (PU) Sys- tems, working with the Italian producer of polyurethane shoe soles Mondial Suole, will test newly developed elastomeric polyurethane material with renewable content for use in the footwear industry. The polyurethane, containing polyols made via innovative RENUVA™ Renewable Resource Technology from Dow,
incorporates 20 percent to 25 percent of raw materials derived from renewable sources. Specifically designed for footwear applications, this new product, once evaluated by the footwear industry, would be a step forward in bringing more
environmentally sustainable practices to the shoe manufacturing process. The project, called “Green
Footprint,” was made possible by a grant from the European Commission’s 2008 LIFE+ program, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of goods and services and promotes “clean,” innovative technologies. Dow’s proposal was selected from among 325 submissions from other European industries and institutions in the category of Environmental Policy and Governance. “Consumer interest in ‘green’
products is holding strong, even in today’s challenging economic
Progressive training course for leather industry
SATRA and Leather Wise will jointly deliver intensive leather training on three separate dates this year, the first of which will be held on 18th and 19th March in Northamptonshire. Delegates will gain in-depth knowledge of
leather during the two day course by learn- ing about selection and use, as well as under- standing and production. This practical course is aimed at manufacturers, sourcing companies and retailers of all types of footwear, leather goods, garments, accessories and upholstery - ideal for newly appointed as well as more experienced tech- nologists and buyers. Topics will include, chemical testing and
environmental issues, sourcing from farm to tanner, introduction to the leather process, se- lection, grading and measurement, physical testing and colour fastness. The first day will be hosted by Leather
Wise in Northampton and the second day by SATRA at Wyndham Way in Kettering. Ex- perts from both organisations will be avail- able on both days for combined discussions and questions. This fresh approach to training demon-
strates the commitment by SATRA to provide progressive training courses for the industry. Training courses will take place on the fol-
lowing dates: 18th and 19th March, 17th and 18th June, 21st and 22nd October. To reserve your place contact SATRA +44 (0) 1536 410 000.
climate, and footwear industry is increasingly adopting ‘green’ processes and materials,” said Giuseppe Vairo, Dow Polyurethane Systems. “Our new polyurethane can help to enable production of high quality shoes with less burden on the environment. It’s a way for manufacturers to stand apart from competition, and delight customers, especially given that polyurethane soles have long been recognized for exceptional comfort, flexibility and durability.” The new polyurethane
system potentially can offer a reduction of up to 25 percent in fossil fuels usage and energy savings of 13 percent, resulting
Are you a Shoeperstar?
Calling all shoe lovers! We thought you’d like to know about Hush Puppies exciting new campaign for 2009. We’re searching for the next big thing in shoes, a truly undiscovered talent, a creative person worthy to design for the behemoth brand that Hush Puppies is! That’s right, in April 2009 we’re
launching a nationwide Shoe Design Competition where one talented winner will have their shoe manufactured and sold exclusively across the UK by high street giant Schuh. Anyone over 16 can enter and design is open to men’s and women’s categories. Shhhhhh! Top Secret! April 2009: The launch of Hush Puppies ‘Design a Shoe’ Competition in association with Schuh and Heart 106.2. The competi- tion will be open to everyone with entrants submitting their designs both online at
www.shoeperstar.
co.uk and by post. July 2009: Entries short-listed to 20 semi finalists and the public will be invited to vote online for their favourite designs. September 2009: Semi finalists will be whittled down to five finalists who will have exclusive access to a mentoring process with Hush Puppies’ expert designers to refine their shoe cre- ations, ready to present their final de- signs to the judging panel in October. October 2009:
WINNER ANNOUNCED! Our expert judging panel will determine
the competition winner and their winning design will be unveiled! Then we will cele- brate their triumph in style at Hush Pup- pies exclusive winner’s party. The Judges
• Emma B – Heart 106.2 Radio DJ
• Nicky Shalcross – Ladies brand buyer for Schuh
• David Rist - Managing Director of Hush Puppies
• Ellspeth Robson – Hush Puppies Ladies Designer
• And a celebrity to be announced… November 2009:
The winner will then be involved in the manufacture process. Working closely with Hush Puppies and Schuh they will visit the factories and be a part of designing POS and windows for the shoe’s arrival in store in January 2010. Let your dream shoe become a reality… If you fancy having a go at being a shoe designer, but you don’t really know where to start, then look out for our hints and tips on our website
www.shoeperstar.co.uk. Anyone can enter and all entries will be considered so get sketching!
• To enter the Hush Puppies ‘Design a Shoe’ competition or to keep up with
what’s going on please visit
www.shoeperstar.co.uk. You can also visit any Schuh store or listen out on London’s Heart 106.2 to find out more.
MAY 2009 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • 7
• Rachel Fanconi - Celebrity Stylist and Guest Designer of 2008
in a reduced carbon footprint of 0.7 ton CO2 per ton of PU produced. RENUVA™ Technology, which can help to enable high renewable content in the finished product, has been successfully introduced to other applications, such as furniture and bedding, automotive, carpet, and adhesives and sealants to meet the growing demand for more sustainable products. Dow and Mondial Suole plan
to run preliminary customer trials by mid-2009 and to begin broad market validation process in the first quarter of 2010. The polyurethane material is produced at Dow’s Correggio site, Italy.
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