The manufacture of footwear has significant impacts on both our health and the environment. In fact, in 2021, the globe produced around 23.2 billion pairs of shoes, which is equivalent to about 9 million tons of weight, according to estimates from the World Trade Organization (WTO). Sustainable waste reduction, recovery, and recycling solutions are an urgent need in the footwear sector. To reinvent the future of production, it is essential to rethink all processes related to manufacturing and the supply of raw materials, as well as the way products are created. That goal is what prompted Innex and Santoni to work together.
“We have developed an innovative and sustainable approach to footwear manufacturing that is set to reshape the entire industry,” says Patrick Silva Szatkowski, head of marketing, communications, and business development at Santoni. In the past, there were a number of components, materials, and a crew needed to make footwear. But by merging our 3D knitting technology with Innex’s 30 years of expertise and numerous patents in the area of safety footwear for the workplace, we are utterly changing the game. A 3D-knitted upper made by Santoni’s XT-MACHINE protects the foot from harm while you work, and the novel technical components invented by Innex ensure maximum ventilation and comfort. This is their most recent creation.
In a little over ten minutes and with zero waste, you may have three-dimensional uppers made from single- or double-layer fabric from Santoni. These uppers will provide you with comfort, lightness, performance, and unmatched quality. The machine creates a 3D model of the foot and uses that information to strategically place high-performance, fully recyclable yarns: natural fiber yarns where they come into direct contact with the foot, which guarantees maximum comfort and protection, and TPU yarns with high abrasion resistance or anti-cut in the areas of greatest stress.
We created a lightweight work shoe by combining the market’s lightest and most breathable toe protection cap with the first footbed with active air circulation. This technology uses the body’s weight to create air movement and cool the foot. The shoe not only adapts perfectly to the foot, improving comfort and breathability, but it also significantly reduces processing phases and times to create it, shortening the entire production chain. As a result, fewer equipment and machines are needed for fabric and accessory supply, and there is no cutting, assembly, or stitching involved. Everything is happening right here in our region, under Innex’s direct supervision, from the yarn to the top.
There are a number of benefits to this method, such as reduced energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions due to increased production speed and increased flexibility, and the elimination of wasteful material and scrap disposal due to the fact that the shoe is actually only composed of the yarns needed to make the upper. As a key step towards a more sustainable future, this demonstrates that technology may be a vital instrument for reducing the health and environmental impacts of industry.
by MPASTYLE
Source: https://mpastyle.it/en/santoni-innex-nasce-la-prima-calzatura-da-lavoro-in-3d/
