Vietnamese specialist in durable insoles Cirql sets its sights on Europe via Italy's Frasson
Vietnamese specialist in plastic-free, recyclable and biodegradable insole foams, Cirql aims to enhance its presence in the European market. To this end, a partnership has just been signed with Italy's Frasson, a specialist in injection molding and supercritical foam for footwear.
"This partnership is an important step for Cirql in our expansion into the European market," emphasized Matt Thwaites, Cirql's vice president and general manager. "Frasson's expertise in supercritical foaming and injection molding perfectly complements our vision of providing sustainable and innovative materials to global footwear brands."
A century-old company based in Loria, in the province of Treviso, Frasson specializes in sports and outdoor footwear, as well as professional and safety footwear. The company has become Cirql's certified partner for Europe. It will supply local brands with midsoles and outsoles, using the sustainable technology developed by Cirql.
The Vietnamese company, based in Ho Chi Minh City, is a subsidiary of the Ortholite Group, an American insole specialist claiming to supply over 550 brands. Cirql's offering is based on a technology for transforming recycled polymers (known as rTPU) into high-performance insoles, which also anticipate the end-of-life of products thanks to their compostable nature.
At a time when the fashion industry is striving to increase the mass recycling of end-of-life items, the footwear sector presents a challenge in itself, with the accumulation of 40 to 60 different components and materials.
In Europe, there are several noteworthy players addressing this issue, from the Dutch Fastfeetgrinded to the British Renewshoe and the German Soex. Not forgetting Cetia, the French innovation platform dedicated to the recyclability of clothing and footwear, which has just unveiled its automated garment sorting tool.
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