10. Jun 2026
Plixxent and Bata Industrials partner on bio-based PU system for footwear
Polyurethane specialist Plixxent and safety footwear manufacturer Bata Industrials have collaborated on a new bio-based polyurethane system for shoe soles, aimed at improving sustainability while maintaining performance.
According to the partners, the material retains the flexibility, mechanical properties and chemical resistance required for industrial safety footwear while reducing reliance on fossil-based feedstocks.
Bata said the material also provides around 20% greater rebound compared with previous generations, improving comfort, shock absorption and energy return.
The development builds on Plixxent’s broader activities in footwear polyurethanes. The company supplies tailor-made systems for safety, sports and lifestyle footwear and says its technologies can provide high abrasion resistance, flexibility and tensile strength while covering a wide range of densities and hardness values. Some of its formulations contain up to 83% bio-based raw materials.
According to the companies, the new system is intended to support the growing demand for more sustainable materials in footwear without compromising durability or processing performance.
Plixxent, which operates seven polyurethane system houses across Europe, specializes in customized PU formulations for applications ranging from construction and transportation to footwear and sports surfaces. Bata Industrials is part of the Bata Group and supplies occupational and safety footwear worldwide.
Note: this article has been edited to remove references to specific bio-based materials. We had mistakenly given specifications relating to a different Bata shoe that isn't part of the Plixxent/Bata announcement.