SHANGHAI, China — May 4, 2017 — With its latest innovation in football footwear, the evoPOWER Vigor 1, PUMA has set new standards in design, precision and comfort. All this has been achieved with PUMA’s Accufoam technology, consisting of 3-D diamond-shaped dots called Topaz-DOTS, applied on both sides of a spandex upper material. Topaz-DOTS, the coating technology from Trans-Textil, is based on INSQIN® waterborne polyurethane technology from Covestro and gives the shoe its unique design and playing features.
“The Accufoam upper enables exceptional comfort and outstanding precision when kicking the ball powerfully”, said Matthias Hartmann, team head, Material Engineering Innovation Footwear at PUMA. “It also contributes to the innovative styling of the boot. This is why many football players — amateurs and professionals alike — are very keen to play in these shoes.”
In close collaboration with the PUMA design team, Covestro and Trans-Textil have developed both the coating formulation and the textile processing technology, creating a broad portfolio of technical properties and design options. “Coloring, patterns, wear and temperature resistance, waterproofness and breathability could be defined as required,” said Manfred Hänsch, managing director at Trans-Textil.
Innovation driven by sustainability
Not only is INSQIN at the heart of the design and functionality of the product, it also improves its sustainability. The technology enables upper materials to be produced using 95 percent less water and 50 percent less energy compared to conventional types. An independently verified environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study showed a 44 percent lower carbon footprint.
“I am particularly proud of this development,” said Nick Smith, global head of Textile Coating at Covestro. “We have Covestro technology that has delivered a beautiful, highly technical and sustainable product. Furthermore, it was only made possible by a great collaboration between Covestro, Trans-Textil and PUMA. This is the very essence of what Covestro stands for.”
Loved by POWER players
The evoPOWER Vigor 1 is PUMA’s latest football boot innovation, and brings top players even closer to the ball with even greater power. PUMA star striker and POWER player Olivier Giroud, who has been wearing the shoe for some time, praises the foam dots to be a total game changer. The innovative team of PUMA, Trans-Textil and Covestro is already preparing for the next highlight: The concept is to be expanded with new technologies to reflect the high level of diversity typical of this team sport.
Posted May 15, 2017
Source: Covestro
