Texon announced the launch of Texon Vulcan, a product that can provide extra shape and enhanced levels of support in vulcanised shoes, and contains up to 50 % recycled fibre content. According to the company, the product is a non-woven polyester felt with strong performance properties that can be used as an alternative to traditional rubber heel reinforcements.
Designed to create sturdy yet comfortable heel counters, this lightweight material was developed as a result of in-depth research into the key issues associated with vulcanised shoes, said the company. Impregnated with a special thermoplastic that increases its shape-retention and firmness, Texon Vulcan delivers exceptional structural support at a significantly thinner gauge – helping footwear manufacturers achieve a slimmer heel profile and deliver a tighter topline that fits neatly around the wearer’s heel. Offering very good shape definition during processing, the material also performs well over time. Less prone to slumping and sagging, it enables canvas shoes to retain their form for longer – increasing product longevity, consumer comfort and satisfaction levels.
Matt Smith, Group Sales Director at Texon, said: “Texon Vulcan is groundbreaking in terms of the significantly improved physical properties that it offers, and the amount of recycled fibre that it uses. Firmer and more resilient than rubber counters, which are typically soft and can lose their shape relatively quickly, Texon Vulcan helps overcome the age-old problem of sagging in vulcanised shoes, which can result in a canvas upper collapsing. The launch of Texon Vulcan reinforces our capabilities as a leader in innovative, sustainable, structural materials for the footwear industry and will open up sizable new commercial opportunities in this important part of the global footwear industry.”
Texon Vulcan is available in sheet form, or pre-cut, as a net, waste-free material. Engineered to withstand the high temperatures and pressures experienced in autoclave ovens during the vulcanisation joining process, the material is supplied with an EVA adhesive coating that bonds to most leathers, synthetic leathers, fabrics and lining materials. The material is also compatible with latex cement. The product is available alongside Texon Uno, the company’s existing product for toe puffs for the vulcanised footwear market.