Innovative design concept for safety shoes
Safety shoes are a must. There are numerous workplaces where it is not only essential but in fact mandatory to wear appropriate shoes. When it comes to design, however, safety shoes always appear somewhat cumbersome: a protective metal cap must be integrated into their structure, which also increases the weight. In collaboration with the US company i-generator, which specialises in shoe design, BASF has now developed a completely new concept for safety shoes in the form of the Limitless safety shoe. Thanks to innovative materials, it is now possible to replace the metal toe cap with a transparent protective cap made of Elastollan®. Shoelaces, which are the most common cause of accidents through tripping and falling, have been removed, providing better protection against liquid spills and also enabling shoes to be put on and taken off faster and more easily. In order to maximize comfort, design flexibility, cushioning and durability, a knitted shaft of Freeflex® fibre has been combined with a protective layer of solvent-free Haptex® artificial leather. Special bands engineered from Freeflex® add further stability and enhanced abrasion resistance. Currently, the shoe exists only in virtual form, but is due to become the basis for a radical realignment of this market segment.
