Published
by Susan Reed
Elastomeric Material Solutions
From hiking boots to running shoes to dress pumps, innovation in footwear is moving at a rapid pace. Designing for the footwear market requires constant innovation and a continuous search for the best materials. Product designs strive for lighter, stronger, and more flexible materials in not just shoes, but clothing, outdoor gear, and athletic equipment. At Rogers we have had the opportunity to work with many well-known brands to help them with their next generation designs. One recent such company is Merrell.
The Merrell Move Glove features PORON® Vive material for shock absorption and energy return in a single technology.
Merrell is an outdoor footwear company with the trail at the core of their design philosophy. The company produces thoughtfully designed, rigorously tested products that over-deliver on design, performance, comfort, versatility, and durability. They also have a deep commitment to sustainability in every phase of product design and production.
Like Merrell, Rogers Corporation is a company that embraces innovation and empowers breakthroughs in reliability, efficiency, and performance. Rogers is an industry leader in formulating unique chemistries for underfoot comfort and footwear performance applications. With materials that are engineered for a high degree of durability, Rogers provides sustainable solutions that deliver long-term product performance. The PORON® Comfort technology platform is comprised of distinct and specialized formulations engineered for streamlined performance.
While sourcing materials for their new minimalist shoe, the Merrell Move Glove, the company needed a technology that would be lightweight, while providing comfort and durability. The promise of the minimalist shoe is to enhance the foot’s natural ability to stabilize the body during rapid changes in movement. The challenge is to provide comfort while maintaining the ground feel desired by consumers of this type of trail shoe. Merrell turned to Rogers Corporation and our PORON® Vive technology. PORON® Vive combines shock absorption and energy return in a single technology to withstand the challenges of the toughest activity. While other “foam” materials break down and deteriorate quickly, PORON® Vive technology provides maximum comfort and performance to every step by reducing fatigue from repeated step shock and rebounding energy for a resilient feel.
Footwear companies are pushing the boundaries to improve performance and decrease the rate of injuries. Technologies once only geared towards the design of athletic and training shoes, are now being integrated into a wider segment of footwear, including shoes and boots for the workplace and military. There is an increased focus on how to bring products into the future. To achieve this, companies are turning to sustainable and forward thinking manufacturers like Rogers to help pave the way for further innovations in the footwear industry.
We understand that designing for the footwear and other markets requires constant innovation and a dedicated search for the best materials and we remain committed to provide solutions for the next generation of design challenges.
Related Products:
PORON Comfort
Tags:
Footwear
Published on Oct 31, 2019
