Traxium Compressor, a new kind of football boot
Football boots never last very long. The soles of the shoes start to come off after three to six months of practice, which inevitably affects the life of the shoes. Kipsta wanted to find a solution to this problem. Their idea was to bring out a football boot that is eco-designed, recyclable and lasts a very long time, in order to limit its environmental footprint as much as possible. This is how, after three years of R&D, several hundred thousand euros of investment and fifty prototypes - as opposed to the usual two or three - a unique shoe, called Traxium Compressor, was born.
A unique manufacturing process for a new high-end football boot
To this end, Kipsta approached French plastics manufacturer Demgy, an expert in durable plastic and thermoplastic solutions, whose usual business is in the aeronautics, automotive or luxury sectors.
Demgy developed "Net shape", a manufacturing process that makes it possible to produce the Traxium Compressor in a single step, using two types of material, both of which are recyclable: a polyester-based fibre on the one hand and a thermoplastic composed mainly of PU on the other. This is a far cry from the 70 materials that go into a typical sports shoe. The properties of flexibility, support and grip are achieved through a mixture of materials, a complex process whose recipe the manufacturer keeps confidential.
An eco-designed, recyclable and long-lasting football boot
When the shoe comes out of the mould, it is "completely finished", which means that "no post-operation assembly, screwing or gluing is necessary". This one-piece manufacturing process allows for automated production with no material waste. This allows Kipsta to offer a ten-year warranty on the product, with the promise of no delamination between the upper and the sole! Another advantage is that its composition and manufacturing process allow it to be recycled into a new shoe at the end of its life.
The Traxium Compressor weighs 200 grams, has no laces and is dressed in bright colours. Hybrid and innovative, it can be put on like a boot with its integrated sock that fits over the ankle. In the next few days, between 1,000 and 3,000 pairs will be produced for testing by consumers. And if consumers appreciate its performance, comfort and environmental qualities, the manufacturing process developed by Demgy, which makes it a precursor, could very well be duplicated and applied to equipment for other sports: running, rugby, basketball, cycling, etc.
More information:
https://www.demgy.com
https://www.kipsta.com
