05. Nov 2021
Turning carbon emissions into running shoes
Swiss sports brand On today announced a move away from petroleum-based resources by creating a new foam material called CleanCloud™, made using carbon emissions as a raw material. On is the first company in the footwear industry to explore carbon emissions as a primary raw material for a shoe bottom unit, specifically EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) foam, that could also be used in other shoe parts and products in the future.
On is convinced that innovation is pivotal to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. CleanCloud™ is the result of four years of dedicated work, which began with finding the best possible partners. We are adopting a collaborative approach to overcome the challenges of connecting these technologies at commercial scale, the sports brand said.
“It’s a win-win situation: we are capturing emissions before they pollute our atmosphere and are at the same time moving away from fossil-based materials,” said Caspar Coppetti, Co-Founder and Executive Co-Chairman of On. “Innovation is at the heart of our brand, and after four years of intense research, we are very proud to announce this supply chain coalition with our world-class partners LanzaTech and Borealis.”
CleanCloud™ is the result of a partnership with some of the most innovative companies in biochemicals and plastics innovation, including LanzaTech and Borealis. LanzaTech is using a combination of cutting-edge genetic engineering, state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, and innovations in mechanical and chemical engineering to manufacture chemicals using a process that soaks up carbon rather than emitting it.
“We are showing the world what is possible when we rethink how we source, use and dispose of carbon,” says Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech. “By converting pollution to products, we can see that someday everything in our daily lives will come from recycled carbon. We are excited to be on this journey with On and Borealis to bend the carbon curve, keep our skies blue, and create a sustainable future for all.”
This collaboration allows Borealis to further advance its journey in carbon and plastics circularity and is fully in line with its EverMinds™ ambition. Lucrèce Foufopoulos, Borealis Executive Vice President Polyolefins, Innovation & Circular Economy Solutions: “Borealis is thrilled to be part of the unique, first-of-its-kind CleanCloud™ initiative. With our creative partners On and Lanzatech, we are proud to co-create circularity in carbon, and decouple plastic from its reliance on fossil-feedstock. Through innovation and collaboration, we continue reinventing for more sustainable living.”
LanzaTech’s technology enables carbon monoxide emitted from industrial sources like steel mills or emissions from landfill sites to be captured before being released into the atmosphere. Once captured, these emissions enter a patented fermentation process. Thanks to specially selected bacteria, the carbon rich gas ferments naturally and is converted to liquid ethanol by the bacteria. This natural fermentation process is similar to that of conventional alcohol production – e.g., beer brewing. The ethanol is then dehydrated to create ethylene, which is then polymerized by Borealis to become EVA (a copolymer of ethylene vinyl acetate) – the versatile and lightweight material that On starts working with to create a performance foam for shoes.
The overall goal is to exchange all bottom units from On shoes currently made from EVA with CleanCloud™. This includes the whole Cloud range, THE ROGER franchise collection and a part of the active lifestyle assortment.