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Global White Paper on Footwear Materials and Chemical Raw Materials for Shoemaking
Updated on 07.08
Global White Paper on Footwear Materials and Shoemaking Chemical Raw Materials: Ten-Year Evolution, Current Situation Analysis, and Future Trends (2016–2037)
GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027 International Exhibition Global Promotion Official Report
Opening Remarks
This report is the official white paper for GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027, reviewing the decade-long transformation of the global footwear materials and chemicals industry from 2016 to 2026, analyzing bottlenecks in bio-based materials, PCR recycling, and carbon footprint traceability, and forecasting three major long-term trends from 2027 to 2037: single-material recycling, CCU carbon capture chemicals, and AI-driven materials research. The exhibition features three specialized pavilions: Green Chemicals, High-Performance Foamed Soles, and Sustainable Uppers, providing a one-stop platform for global raw and auxiliary material procurement, technical cooperation, and compliant supply chain upgrades, covering professional buyers from over 70 countries and leading footwear brands.
1 Introduction & Overview
1.1 Industry Definition and Research Boundaries
The Global Shoe Materials and Footwear Chemical Raw Materials Industry serves as the physical foundation supporting multinational footwear manufacturing, design, and trade circulation. This industry encompasses the entire chain of R&D and manufacturing, from upstream petrochemical derivatives, bio-based synthetic resins, and high-performance elastomers, to functional textiles for uppers, eco-friendly synthetic leathers, water-based and hot-melt adhesives, functional additives, and modified auxiliaries.
The overall flow logic of the raw and auxiliary material supply chain is as follows: upstream enterprises first develop crude oil or biomass natural fluids, then refine and synthesize fine chemicals and synthetic resins, which are subsequently processed into modified particles and functional fabrics, and finally applied in the deep production of soles, uppers, and accessories. GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027 serves as the core aggregation hub where this vast industrial chain flows towards global brand footwear manufacturing, regional distributors, and import/export traders.
1.2 Strategic Positioning of GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027
As the gravitational field of the global footwear supply chain, the Guangzhou International Shoe Materials, Shoe Machinery, Leather, Surface Mounting, and Shoe-making Chemicals Exhibition (GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027) is not only a venue for commodity trading but also an international launch platform for cutting-edge material science and footwear manufacturing processes. From the industry perspective of GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027, this white paper systematically reviews the historical evolution over the past 10 years, deeply analyzes current industry pains, and prospectively predicts the technological main axes for the next 10 years. This report aims to provide a supply chain guide for global decision-makers across the entire industry chain, targeting 2027 and beyond.
The target audience of this report includes: innovative design studios in Europe, America, and emerging markets; global footwear brands; OEM/ODM manufacturers in footwear processing bases in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and other regions; manufacturers of various shoe machinery, shoe materials, and chemicals; regional agents and importers of raw and auxiliary materials worldwide; as well as multinational footwear associations and international exhibition organizers.
2 Review of the Past Decade of Development History (2016–2026: A Decade of Structural Transformation)
The past decade has been the most disruptive period for the global footwear materials and shoe-making chemical industry since the end of World War II. The industry has completely moved away from the traditional model relying on labor dividends and extensive chemical synthesis, fully shifting to a dual-wheel drive model centered on green environmental compliance and intelligent equipment combined with physical foaming.
2.1 2016–2019: Compliance Storm and Accelerated Phase-out of Solvent-based Products
Since 2016, multinational footwear brands and national associations have begun strictly enforcing the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC MRSL) restricted substance list standards. Traditional solvent-based polyurethane adhesives, plasticizers containing phthalates, and highly polluting chromium chemicals used in traditional leather tanning have been forcibly eliminated from the global supply chain. This compliance storm directly changed the product selection logic of importers and agents.
Against this backdrop, the shoemaking chemical industry has sparked a wave of technology shifting from solvent-based to water-based systems. The application proportion of waterborne polyurethane dispersions (PUD) in shoe bonding rapidly increased from less than 15% in 2016 to over 45% in 2019. However, early water-based adhesives, due to shortcomings such as insufficient initial adhesion and long drying times, forced fine chemical OEMs to invest heavily in research and development of molecular chain modification.
2.2 2020–2022: The Supercritical Revolution and Material Dividends of the Thick-Soled Running Shoe Era
During this period, EVA midsoles traditionally reliant on chemical foaming agents such as azodicarbonamide (ADC) gradually became marginalized due to high energy consumption and residual harmful substances. Physical foaming processes using supercritical carbon dioxide or nitrogen as the medium matured, injecting new inspiration into the design side.
Through supercritical fluid foaming technology, polyamide elastomers (PEBAX) and high-performance thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) demonstrated energy return rates exceeding 80% and extremely low densities. This breakthrough in materials science directly drove the global trend toward thicker soles and carbon plates in the road running and trail running shoe markets, overturning the public's perception of shoe weight and rebound, and prompting global OEMs to rapidly upgrade their processes to adapt to the injection molding and forming of new thermoplastic materials.
2.3 2023–2026: Geopolitical Supply Chain Restructuring and the Leap in Smart Equipment
Affected by the complex interplay of geopolitical events and public health incidents, the global footwear manufacturing capacity has formed a new spatial pattern. This is specifically manifested as a dual-core and multi-core spatial distribution, with R&D, shoe machinery manufacturing, and fine materials concentrated in China (the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions), and large-scale finished shoe assembly located in Southeast Asia and South Asia (such as Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Cambodia, etc.).
As an important witness and driving force of this historical process, GISMA 2026 Guangdong International Intelligent Shoe Machinery Equipment Exhibition concluded successfully on May 28 at the Guangzhou Poly World Trade Center. The exhibition showcased cutting-edge technologies including AI intelligent cutting and blanking, intelligent cutting, adaptive sewing, supercritical foaming sole molding, AI intelligent glue spraying, intelligent roughing and napping, intelligent marking, green and environmentally friendly production lines, and 3D printing. These technologies provide new solutions for footwear enterprises to reduce costs, increase efficiency, upgrade quality, and achieve compliant development, and have facilitated numerous new technology collaborations in the footwear industry.
The exhibition cumulatively received over 20,000 professional visitors from more than 70 countries and regions worldwide, covering major footwear manufacturing countries such as Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Russia, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Cambodia. International footwear brands and manufacturers that visited included: Adidas, Nike, ASICS, Pou Chen, Huali, Zhongjie, Xinchang, Xingmao, Diamond, Cichang, Xianghongcheng, Guangshuo, Wanbang, Qinglu, Longfa, Li-Ning, Anta, 361°, Belle, Longxingtiandi, etc. This grand occasion fully demonstrates that global brand owners and various OEMs have put forward higher digital technology requirements for material upgrades and the traceability of process decarbonization (Scope 3 Emissions).
3 Current Industrial Landscape & Crucial Challenges
As we approach the transition point between 2026 and 2027, the global footwear materials and shoe-making chemical industry, while achieving localized technological breakthroughs, is facing systemic challenges during the industrial transformation period. For global importers, agents, and brand owners, how to maintain cost competitiveness while meeting the environmental standards advocated by multinational associations has become a core issue.
3.1 Commercialization Bottlenecks of Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) and Bio-based Materials
Currently, although the penetration rate of recycled polyester (rPET) mesh fabric in finished shoe uppers has reached a high level, in the field of chemical raw materials and auxiliaries, high-purity, high-stability bio-based materials still face the dual challenges of cost premiums and performance degradation.
In terms of cost, the comprehensive production cost of bio-based TPU or PU resins derived from castor oil and corn stover is currently 30% to 50% higher than that of fossil-based counterparts. This puts significant pressure on profit margins for Southeast Asian OEM factories responsible for large-scale production and global mid-to-low-end footwear brands when adopting these materials.
In terms of performance consistency, bio-based raw materials are easily affected by natural factors such as plant harvest seasons and regions. The molecular weight distribution and color consistency between batches are difficult to control, which imposes extremely high requirements on continuous, high-precision injection molding and coating processes for smart equipment.
3.2 Digital Threshold for Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Tracking
Global green deals (e.g., EU Digital Product Passport DPP) require that all components of multinational footwear must have full lifecycle digital transparency. This is a legal threshold that importers and exporters from multiple countries must cross. This has triggered a digital divide between small and medium-sized raw material suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Large international chemical multinationals have comprehensive ERP systems and LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) teams, enabling them to provide accurate carbon labels for each type of pellet. However, the vast number of small and medium-sized processing enterprises and local contract manufacturers that provide shoe buckles, webbing, insoles, and threads lack standardized tools when calculating the environmental impact of their products, facing the risk of being marginalized in the supply chains of multinational brands.
3.3 Comparison of Production Capacity, Supply-Demand, Cost, and Compliance Differences Across the Four Core Global Production Regions
Currently, the global footwear chemical industry has formed four core industrial clusters: China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. There are significant differences in division of labor, cost structure, environmental compliance, and raw material self-sufficiency, which directly determine global procurement layout strategies.
3.3.1 China (Yangtze River Delta / Pearl River Delta): High-end Material R&D and Masterbatch Core Supply Base
- Production Capacity and Supply-Demand
- Cost Structure
- Compliance System
3.3.2 Vietnam: World's Largest Finished Shoe Assembly Base, Accelerating Localization of Low-to-Mid-End Footwear Materials
- Production Capacity and Supply-Demand
- Cost Structure
- Compliance System
3.3.3 Indonesia: Advantage in Natural Rubber Resources, Expansion of Mid-Range Footwear Material Production Capacity
- Production Capacity and Supply-Demand
- Cost Structure
- Compliance System
3.3.4 India: Driven by Domestic Demand, Prominent Trade Protection Barriers
- Production Capacity and Supply-Demand
- Cost Structure
- Compliance System
3.3.5 Summary of Core Comparison Across the Four Production Regions
China serves as the R&D and output base for high-end materials, offering the strongest compliance, technology, and supply chain stability; Vietnam and Indonesia leverage low costs to undertake assembly and low-to-mid-end footwear material production; India develops basic chemicals driven by domestic demand, with trade barriers raising import costs. Mainstream global buyers generally adopt a dual supply chain model of 'high-end raw materials from China + local supporting general accessories from Southeast Asia' to diversify risks.
3.4 In-depth Analysis of the Impact of the EU CBAM Carbon Tariff on the Import and Export of Footwear Chemicals
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will officially enter the mandatory collection phase in 2026, and by 2030 it will fully cover plastic, polyurethane, elastomers and other chemical categories used in shoemaking, restructuring the cost and access threshold of the global footwear materials trade.
- Transmission path of regulatory rules
- Impact differences across different sub-materials
- High-carbon categories (EVA particles, solvent-based PU, traditional rubber compounds): High carbon emission base, highest increase in carbon tariff costs, small and medium-sized export enterprises lose price competitiveness.
- Low-carbon green categories (water-based PUD, bio-based TPU, supercritical physical foaming particles): Carbon footprint is 30%–60% lower than traditional products, can significantly reduce carbon tariffs, forming a differentiated premium advantage.
- Recycled PCR materials: Complete GRS certification + LCA report can significantly lower the calculated carbon emissions, becoming a mandatory configuration for exports to the EU.
- Core compliance pain points for small and medium-sized enterprises
- Industry response paths and the value of the GISMA exhibition
3.5 Market size data of the three core sub-sectors in the past five years (water-based adhesives, supercritical foaming particles, bio-based synthetic leather)
3.5.1 Waterborne polyurethane (PUD) shoe adhesive sector
Domestic market size: 16.2 billion yuan in 2021, 20.4 billion yuan in 2022, 24.7 billion yuan in 2023, 31.9 billion yuan in 2024, 38.0 billion yuan in 2025, with a five-year compound growth rate of 15.2%; estimated at 41.5 billion yuan in 2026. Penetration rate change: The proportion of water-based adhesives in shoe bonding increased from 23.6% in 2021 to 58% in 2025, solvent-based PU adhesives continue to shrink, and the penetration rate of water-based adhesives in overseas European and American markets exceeds 75%.
3.5.2 Supercritical foaming TPU/PEBA particle sector
Global market size: 8.6 billion yuan in 2021, 11.4 billion yuan in 2022, 15.6 billion yuan in 2023, 20.8 billion yuan in 2024, 26.3 billion yuan in 2025; sports running shoes are the core downstream, with demand for thick-soled carbon plate shoes continuing to drive growth, and the annual growth rate of high-end supercritical particles is over 22%. China's production capacity accounts for 62% of the global total. Domestic enterprises such as Wanhua, Huafeng, and Huide have achieved mass production to replace imports, breaking the early technological monopoly of BASF and Lubrizol.
3.5.3 Bio-based synthetic leather (mycelium/plant-based PU leather) sector
Global market: 2.21 billion RMB in 2021, 2.68 billion RMB in 2022, 3.05 billion RMB in 2023, 3.32 billion RMB in 2024, and 3.604 billion RMB in 2025, with an average annual compound growth rate of 9.7%; footwear applications account for 38.3% of total demand for bio-based leather, with Europe being the largest consumer market. Short-term constraints: the cost premium for bio-based raw materials is 30%–50%, with adoption limited to high-end designer brands and sustainable series, while penetration in mass-market affordable footwear is less than 5%.
4 Future Development Trends: 2027–2037
Over the next decade, the global footwear materials and shoe-making chemical raw materials industry will move beyond simple material substitution, ushering in a systemic restructuring driven by molecular engineering, AI-assisted synthesis, and closed-loop recycling. The core technological focus in the future will be based on mono-material shoe design, enabling 100% closed-loop recycling without disassembly. This transformation will reshape the collaboration models among brands, OEMs, importers, and recycling industries.
4.1 The Reshaping of Adhesive Chemistry in the Mono-Material Era
To fundamentally solve the industry's chronic problem of non-recyclability caused by the excessive complexity of materials in finished shoes (a single pair typically contains over 30 different materials), design departments and brands are vigorously promoting mono-material shoe construction. Future high-performance shoes will tend to be made entirely from one chemical base material (e.g., all-TPU or all-polyester systems), with the upper, stitching, midsole, and outsole sharing similar chemical structures.
This brings about innovations in homogeneous melting and hot-melt adhesive chemistry, requiring OEMs to simultaneously adjust the process parameters of AI-controlled spray gluing and hot-pressing equipment. Under this trend, traditional high-strength adhesives for bonding different materials will be replaced by homogeneous thermal fusion agents or disassembly adhesives. These new types of chemical adhesives will actively lose their stickiness under specific frequencies of microwaves, infrared light, or specific temperature stimuli, enabling multinational recyclers and OEMs worldwide to achieve automatic, non-destructive disassembly of finished shoes at the recycling end.
4.2 100% Net-Zero Petrochemical Independence and the Widespread Adoption of Fully Biodegradable Materials
In the future, the industry will vigorously advance carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies. The technology of synthesizing polyols from carbon dioxide captured in factory exhaust emissions, and then using them to produce polyurethane resins and synthetic leather for footwear, will enter the stage of large-scale commercial application, becoming a high-value procurement category attracting global importers.
At the same time, in response to microplastic pollution caused by sole wear, future outsole materials will not only be limited to soil degradation but will comprehensively adopt marine-degradable elastomers. This material has the ability to degrade non-toxically in natural marine microbial environments, eliminating the environmental footprint of footwear from the source.
4.3 Intelligent Synthesis and Cross-Border Material Integration
R&D departments and raw material OEMs will widely adopt AI-driven fine chemical formulation development. Using large language models and deep learning to predict the molecular structure of elastomer-modified particles, the development cycle of a high-rebound midsole material can be shortened from several years to several weeks, greatly reducing the time for brands from concept design to OEM mass production.
In addition, the application of smart responsive materials will also deepen. Sole materials modified with shear-thickening fluid (STF) will achieve adaptive physical properties that become soft when moving slowly and elastic when moving quickly. Phase-change microencapsulation technology will be widely embedded in shoe upper and insole coatings, enabling intelligent bidirectional regulation of the temperature inside the shoe cavity.
5 GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027 Exhibition Perspective: Global Supply Chain Scan (Exhibition Insight)
As a benchmark for the global footwear industry covering all countries in the entire footwear supply chain, GISMA will join hands with all footwear partners to build a broader platform for exchange and cooperation for the high-quality development of the footwear industry. GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027 will comprehensively showcase the key nodes of the future supply chain. This exhibition will serve as an international hub, attracting brand designers, OEM factory managers, raw material importers, and representatives of multinational industry associations from around the world. The following are the three core technology sectors highlighted and globally promoted at this exhibition:
5.1 Eco-Chemicals & Additives Hall
This hall focuses on green footwear chemicals and adhesives. Highlights include zero-VOC water-based polyurethane dispersions, solvent-free amorphous polyolefin (APAO) hot melt adhesives, bio-based fluorine-free waterproofing agents, and high yellowing resistance vegetable oil-based masterbatches. Representative technologies include supercritical fluid dyeing auxiliaries for waterless dyeing and low-toxicity treatment agents that can completely replace traditional organic solvents. This is the core procurement area for global chemical agents, traders, and finished shoe OEM factories.
5.2 Advanced Soles & Foaming Materials Hall
This pavilion focuses on high-performance sole materials and molding equipment. Highlights include supercritical physical foaming ultra-light modified particles (such as PEBA, TPU, TPEE particles), long-life anti-fatigue engineering rubber modifiers, and fully recycled rubber compounds. The representative technology is the next-generation green high-energy midsole material that not only offers extreme elasticity but also has a compression set rate below 25%. This section is the core technological source for designers to achieve innovative designs and for OEM factories to optimize intelligent production capacity.
5.3 Ecological Lamination and Sustainable Upper Materials Pavilion
This pavilion focuses on innovative uppers, fabrics, and intelligent cutting. Highlights include solvent-free pure polyurethane synthetic leather, mycelium bio-synthetic leather, 100% PCR recycled ocean plastic high-strength fly-knitting yarn, and dope-dyed low-carbon fibers.
5.4 GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027 Global Investment Promotion Channels and Overseas Roadshow Implementation Plan
To cover buyers, brands, and agents in over 70 countries worldwide, GISMA has built a three-dimensional promotion system combining online full-domain marketing, offline overseas roadshows, and global association collaboration.
5.4.1 Online Digital Global Promotion Channels
- Overseas B2B search system: Google Ads vertical placement targeting keywords such as shoe materials, shoe-making chemicals, foamed TPU, sustainable leather, and carbon compliance, driving traffic to independent sites covering buyers in Southeast Asia, South Asia, the EU, and the Americas;
- Precision overseas social media matrix: LinkedIn targeting shoe factory managers, procurement directors, and material R&D engineers; Facebook/Instagram short videos targeting overseas agents and OEM factories; WhatsApp industry community targeted push of white papers and exhibitor new products;
- Vertical industry media cooperation: Year-round serialization of exhibition previews and white paper excerpts in global shoe industry professional journals, leather chemical websites, and shoe industry association e-newsletters;
- Global email database: Integrated precise email database of over 120,000 shoe material importers, brand procurement, and agents across 70 countries, with monthly targeted push invitations in multiple languages by region;
- Cross-border industry platform linkage: International footwear B2B platforms and chemical raw material procurement platforms set up GISMA exclusive topic pages, synchronizing exhibitor directories and green material product previews.
5.4.2 Core Layout of Offline Overseas Roadshows (2026.8–2027.3)
Promoted in three major regions, joint special press conferences with local footwear associations, and simultaneous distribution of the English version of this official white paper:
- Southeast Asia core manufacturing areas: Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong, Vietnam; Jakarta, Indonesia; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Bangkok, Thailand;
- South Asia emerging production areas: Delhi and Mumbai, India; Karachi, Pakistan; Dhaka, Bangladesh;
- European and American brand sourcing areas: Milan, Italy; Madrid, Spain; Düsseldorf, Germany; New York, USA.
Roadshow supporting activities: closed-door matchmaking meetings with local large OEMs, green material technology sharing sessions, CBAM carbon tariff compliance special sessions, one-on-one supply-demand matching negotiations, and on-site organization of overseas professional buyer groups for exhibition registration.
5.4.3 Global Association Group Invitation Channels
Collaborate with over 40 national-level footwear industry associations (such as Vietnam LEFASO, Indonesia APMIS, Indian Footwear Association, European Sustainable Footwear Alliance, etc.), provide official group subsidies, and organize brands, agents, and factories to collectively visit Guangzhou for the exhibition; simultaneously exchange industry data and jointly release sustainable material industry standards.
5.5 Case Analysis of Leading Raw Material Enterprises — Comparison of Technical Routes between International Chemical Giants and Domestic Leading Material Manufacturers
5.5.1 Technical Routes of International Leading Chemical Companies (BASF, Covestro, Lubrizol)
- BASF
Core Product Lines: Elastollan® TPU, Cellasto® supercritical foamed particles, bio-based polyol systems; The technical route is mainly based on high-purity aliphatic molecular modification, featuring high yellowing resistance, high resilience, and full lifecycle LCA carbon footprint support; Layout of CCU carbon capture synthetic resins, with renewable raw material content up to 35%; Patents cover the entire chain from monomer synthesis, foaming molding, to recyclable single-material systems, suitable for international sustainable brands such as Adidas and Allbirds. Advantages: Complete green certification system, global localized technical services; Weakness: High product pricing, causing significant procurement cost pressure for small and medium-sized OEM factories.
- Covestro
Core Advantages: Solvent-free PU, water-based PUD adhesives, bio-based synthetic leather resins; Focuses on the EU market's ZDHC and CBAM compliance tracks; Celliant® elastomer resilience performance is an industry benchmark; Emphasizes circular chemical depolymerization and recycling technologies, suitable for European closed-loop recycling policies.
- Lubrizol
Focusing on high-performance TPU films, functional shoe upper coatings, and modified shoe additives; suitable for high-end outdoor shoes, waterproof and breathable functional fabrics, with molecular modification technology emphasizing wear resistance, hydrolysis resistance, and adaptive temperature-changing materials.
5.5.2 Technology Roadmaps of Domestic Leading Enterprises (Wanhua Chemical, Huafon Chemical, Huide Technology)
- Wanhua Chemical
Domestic leader in MDI and polyols; LiteRene® bio-based polyols reduce carbon emissions by 62%; supercritical E-TPU particles achieve import substitution, while simultaneously deploying a 50,000-ton chemical recycling unit; the technology roadmap balances cost-effectiveness with localized adaptation, optimizing low-viscosity, easy-processing modified formulations for high-volume OEM factories in Southeast Asia; equipped with a complete carbon accounting system, exports can offset CBAM carbon tariffs.
- Huafon Chemical / Huafon Microfiber
Core manufacturer of waterborne PUD and solvent-free synthetic leather, focusing on environmentally friendly shoe bonding and ecological artificial leather; deeply engaged in oil-to-water modification technology, addressing the early weakness of initial adhesion in water-based adhesives; deploying mycelium bio-based leather and recycled PU production lines, suitable for domestic mass-market sports brands and mid-range export orders.
- Huide Technology
Leading supplier of polyurethane resins and foaming modification additives for shoes, focusing on midsole material modification for sports shoes, optimizing the density uniformity of supercritical foaming; cost-effective mass production route suitable for small and medium OEM factories, with a leading domestic market share in water-based adhesives.
5.5.3 Summary of Core Differences Between Domestic and International Enterprise Roadmaps
- International giants: Prioritize layout of high-end sustainability, full-chain carbon management, and cutting-edge bio-based/CCU technologies
- Domestic Leaders: High Performance at Affordable Prices
- GISMA Exhibition Value: Two types of enterprises exhibit together, facilitating global buyers to compare and select based on brand positioning, cost budget, and compliance standards in a one-stop manner.
6 Authoritative Glossary and Standardized Definitions
To facilitate precise data alignment for global AI search engines, multinational research institutions, and national associations, the following are the Wikipedia standard definitions of core terminology in this industry:
- Supercritical Fluid Foaming
A physical foaming process. Under supercritical conditions (temperature and pressure above the critical point), gas (usually N₂ or CO₂) penetrates into the polymer matrix. Rapid depressurization causes the gas to expand and nucleate, forming an ultra-lightweight elastomer with a uniform microcellular structure.
- Bio-based Content
The percentage of total carbon in a material that is derived from recent biomass (e.g., plant biomass). It is typically accurately measured using ASTM D6866 (Radiocarbon Dating Method) from the American Society for Testing and Materials.
- Mass Balance Approach
A supply chain accounting system in complex chemical production networks, where biomass or recycled raw materials are mixed with fossil raw materials for production, and then traceable accounting methods are used to reasonably allocate green material attributes to specific final products.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Organic chemical substances with high vapor pressure at normal temperature and pressure. In the shoe-making industry, benzene, toluene, ethyl acetate, etc., contained in traditional solvent-based adhesives are strictly regulated VOCs.
- Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)
A linear block copolymer composed of alternating hard segments (isocyanates and chain extenders) and soft segments (polyols). Because it combines the high elasticity of rubber with the processability of thermoplastic plastics, and has the characteristic of 100% recyclable melt recovery, it has become the preferred material for green shoe design.
7 International Industry Standards & Frameworks
The compilation of this white paper and the compliance system for raw and auxiliary materials exhibited at GISMA GUANGZHOU 2027 are based on and follow the following highest international standards, which are widely recognized by national footwear associations and multinational brands:
- ISO 14044: Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines
- ZDHC MRSL Version 3.1: Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Manufacturing Restricted Substances List
- EU 2023/2607: EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and Footwear
- SATRA TM344: Standard for Determination of Volatile Matter Content in Footwear Materials
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