Decathlon’s Traxium compression football boots are manufactured using a one-step molding process, driving the sporting goods market towards a more recyclable solution.
Kipsta, the football brand owned by sporting goods company Decathlon, aims to push the industry towards more recyclable solutions with a new football boot recently developed. Released in October 2021, the shoe is said to be made entirely from recycled thermoplastic waste from discarded sporting goods such as plastic balls or shoes. The waste is shredded, reused into fiber yarn and resin matrix, and formed by a one-step molding process developed by sustainable solutions company Demgy.
The French Environment and Energy Agency (Angers, France) supports the project to collect, sort and process EOL products for reuse as Traxium shoes. One of the goals behind the material decision was to reduce the amount of material used inside the shoe, further promoting EOL recycling of Traxium compressors, according to those involved.
In the patented design, the thickness of the laminate changes with the shoe, reinforced with foam where needed. The way the material is layered is “new: Decano uses the ratio of resin and fiber structure (fiber orientation and textile mesh structure) to give flexibility or rigidity to different areas of the shoe,” said the design. The upper and sole are combined into a single shape without the need for glue to eliminate shoe delamination issues over time.
During the design process, Demgy and the Kipsta team worked hard to achieve the optimum shape, thickness and material composition, with iterations of the shoe being tested by professional football players. To make the shoe, prefabricated thermoplastic composite preforms are layered into specially designed tooling and reinforced with heat and pressure in a single-step closed-molding process. During the lamination process, inserts of the splint are placed between some layers before the mould is closed. The mold is heated by conduction and cooled by water circulation until the shoe is cool enough to be demolded. Demgy designed and built the tools (one tool per shoe size) using designs provided by Kipsta/Decathlon.
The key, according to Westphal, is the combination of “revolutionary mold design and innovative craftsmanship for composite preforms.” Trasim compressors are a completely net shape product and require no post-processing steps.
Post time:
Apr-28-2022
