Boaonda Adds Huntsman TPU to Range of Materials Used in Footwear Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 November 2017

Sapiranga, Brazil – Brazilian footwear brand Boaonda® has qualified a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) from Huntsman for use in the production of its injection-molded fashion shoes. Following rigorous processing, performance and quality assurance tests, Boaonda has approved one of Huntsman’s AVALON® TPU grades for use in future collections of its all-plastic shoes. The AVALON® TPU grade selected joins a number of other materials that Boaonda® uses to produce its fashion shoes, which are worn worldwide by men and women.

Boaonda®, which also produces the brand, Cherry by Boaonda®, is one of Latin America’s most creative footwear manufacturers. The company has designed and manufactured fashionable, molded plastic shoes for almost 20 years, and is best known for its colourful flip flops, sandals and clogs. The AVALON® TPU grade, which Boaonda® sourced and qualified with help from Prisma Montelur – Huntsman’s Brazilian TPU distributor to the footwear industry – offers high levels of durability and is ideal for the production of all-plastic fashion shoes. It also offers excellent flowability – helping to give Boaonda® greater flexibility in the design of its footwear.

When Boaonda® contacted Prisma Montelur, it wanted to find a material that could be used to create a whole TPU shoe. Boaonda® wanted the TPU to fill its molds faster and demold quickly, helping to reduce cycle times and increase production output. It also wanted the material to be flexible but incredibly hardwearing. Huntsman’s AVALON® TPU met all these requirements, offering clear technical advantages over other plastics, which are traditionally used to create fashion shoes via a one-shot process. Shoes made from TPU will typically last longer due to high levels of abrasion resistance, flex life, tensile strength and elongation. TPU also offers great aesthetic options, making it possible to easily combine matte and shiny finishes.

Boaonda® prides itself on sourcing innovative, long-lasting materials that are easy to process and fully recyclable. Its material choices are defined by its in-depth understanding of the footwear molding process; its parent company is Mould Ind de Matrizes Ltda., a leading producer of footwear molds.

Luiz Romani, Director of Mould Matrizes, said: “The use of TPU in the footwear industry has changed since we first diversified and created Boaonda®. Twenty years ago, TPUs were mainly employed in the creation of soccer plates and top pieces, or casual outsoles. Now, they are commonly found in mid sole as well as upper applications. Currently, we use Huntsman TPUs for outsole applications – predominantly in our menswear collection – but we were keen to qualify a new grade that could, in the future, form the basis of a full TPU shoe.”

Geraldo Geniomar da Silva, Director of Boaonda® added: “With Prisma’s help we’ve found the right material and proven its compatibility with our equipment. In the years ahead this will enable us to expand our product portfolio in line with industry trends and market demands.”
 
Luciano Malinverno, Account Manager at Prisma Montelur, said: “Boaonda® has a reputation for producing high quality, plastic shoes that are practical, stylish and super comfortable. The company is a footwear innovator, creating shoes and sandals that set new trends and offer something different. For example, many of its shoes come with a removable PU insole that offers the wearer extra comfort. We were delighted to work with the Boaonda® team to help identify a material that will help them develop a whole TPU shoe that is fully recyclable and therefore a highly sustainable form of footwear.”

Carlos Carvalho, Account Manager at Huntsman, said: “The last few years have seen a resurgence in the popularity of plastic footwear. Originally available in the 1980s, molded shoes have become fashionable again with consumers embracing flip flops, jelly shoes and clogs as an easy-to-wear option. TPU is ideal for creating fully molded shoes. Easily processed, the resulting material is flexible and durable while also providing the aesthetic and physical properties needed for fashion shoes that are worn daily.”

Boaonda® is based in Sapiranga, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and employs more than 350 people. Alongside its range of molded flip flops, sandals and clogs, Boaonda® produces injection molded flat and tennis-style casual shoes. Separately, it has a range of fully-molded works shoes that are made using a one-shot process. Easy to clean, available in neutral colors and comfortable enough to wear all day, these shoes are worn by healthcare professionals in medical environments where hygiene standards must be meticulously maintained. Boaonda’s footwear can be bought throughout Brazil but also worldwide in countries including Italy, Spain, Turkey, Chile and Venezuela. For more information about Boaonda’s go to: www.boaonda.com.br and www.cherrybyboaonda.com.br.

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AVALON® is a registered trademark of Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all countries.

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Simone Richter
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Email: simone_richter@huntsman.com