Using natural textile fiber-based nonwovens, knitted and woven textiles, the Philippine Textile Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PTRI) has produced a pleasant and environmentally friendly shoe insole.
The “Diversification of Philippine Textiles Through Nonwoven Innovations R&D Program,” or the Nonwoven Innovations Program, enabled the invention of the eco-friendly shoe insole.
“Prototypes have already been produced utilising pineapple leaf fibre needle punched nonwovens, with a combination of two or more layers: the top lining, the lignocellulosic-based nonwoven textile, and the optional backing support,” according to a statement on the DOST’s official Facebook page.
“The cushioning component of the shoe insole is the middle non-woven layer, which gives comfort and protection to the wearer’s feet.”
The DOST stated that the shoe insole has already been filed for Intellectual Property (IP) at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), and that the newly designed product is made entirely of natural textile fibres, from the linings to the non-woven.
In order to bridge the gap between research and industry, the PTRI partnered with Creative Definitions to employ the created nonwovens in the insoles of their own line of footwear.
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