Since 2008 the Californian company Sockwa (“Sock with attitude“) has been designing sock-like shoes. The idea behind these is to give the wearer the feeling of going barefoot but without sacrificing any of the comfort that goes with footwear. The basic principle of this minimalistic approach is an ultra-thin sole made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in combination with a flexible upper made from a lycra neoprene nylon sandwich.
The thin sole of the Sockwa shoe is made from a soft TPU. (photos: BASF)
The initial prototypes for Sockwa shoes – with no external sole – were specially developed for beach football. Later indoor versions were added, for instance, for Yoga or Pilates. The TPU sole, which is only 1.2mm thick, enhances the sensation of going barefoot which is the primary feature of this footgear. Not to mention the weight saving; the complete shoe – depending on the size – tips the scales at only 136-220g.
The latest addition to the family to be delivered by the creative team, made up of designers, engineers and business people, is the Sockwa X8 with a soft, three-layer Ariaprene mesh upper paired with a thin, smooth Lycra tongue. The model is said to be recycable, non-toxic and decomposable. The engineers then added the thin 1.2mm TPU sole to the dynamically constructed upper creating durable protection, designed to allow the wearer to feel the earth beneath their feet while adding dynamic traction.
The lightweight Sockwa shoe in action.
1.2mm TPU sole
The basis for the Sockwa inner sole (or ‘footbed’) is the thermoplastic material Elastollan Soft 60A, a soft TPU free of any softening agent from BASF Polyurethanes. The Elastollan sole is said to take less than 1min to inject and cool. By contrast, it can take up to 12 times as long to process rubber, one of the possible alternatives.
Elastollan Soft reportedly not only features all the characteristics of classic types of TPU but also a softness measured in terms of Shore Hardness of 50 A to 38 A. In addition, the material feels similar to silicone to the touch, it is slip-proof, transparent yet nevertheless as robust, hydrolytically stable and with as long a service life as traditional types of TPU. In addition to the production of sports and safety shoes, it is also suitable for all other applications calling for anti-slip properties, such as, for example, in the manufacture of mats, for handles on tools, touchpads or electrical as well as electronic parts.
www.basf.com
www.sockwa.com
