Further Research : Material - Sustainability

 In this post, I will be researching about the material which will best describe my work and material which I will be considering for my major project. The material I will be researching about are Industrial like Tyre, Eva Foam and Carbon Fibre. 

TYRE

Balenciaga Men Bouncer Tread Clogs (Tyre)

As in my previous blog I have spoken about Tyre - I will be adding more towards the research in Tyre. As I am developing my idea more towards Tyre. I got on knowing every year every year there are a vast amount of Tyre which get bald and are thrown away from large industries. “According to a report by the Tire Industry Project for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 1 billion end-of-life tires are generated every year and there are currently 4 billion such tires in landfills and stockpiles worldwide” (Hailstone, 2022). Due to the a large number of stocked tyre every year I have planned to make my footwear with Tyre as an material as it is cheap to recycle an old Tyre, additionally Tyre is the most sustainable material. 

Being sustainable Tyres are more over durable and they proving extra grip and are anti slip resistant which will enhance my footwear even more during the rainy season. “In particular, although rubber-soled footwear gave an excellent grip on clean surfaces, it gave a very much reduced grip on greasy or muddy surfaces. An unexpected change in grip could cause men to slip”(Ramsay and Senneck, 2003). Although this piece to research argues in terms of accident based by a British miner by slipping in mine. Although no doubt Tyre are best for the grip and for the rainy weathers, the footwear which I will be making would be more towards fashion trends and is more likely to attract the  Gen- Z for which this piece of research is particularly true but, the argument is not valid based on the miner who slipped on a working place because my footwear are moreover worn by gen-z and as an health and safety criteria the footwear which I am designing are sliders and open toe which will be not allowed into any working space. The sliders would be more like a comfort outdoor fashion street wear.

EVA FOAM

Perforated Moulded Runner

Beside Tyre as a material works out well I am critically thinking on the use of  other material for which I came up with EVA foam for which I had partially already describe in previous post on Yeezy Foam Runner . Although talking in more details, “It is commonly used in industries such as sports, footwear, packaging, and even arts and crafts” (Hetman, 2023). As it is much used in industrial products these foams are much more versatile and has gained allot popularity over the year due to the durability as well. 

Moreover,“Cushioning Properties: Compared to natural rubber, EVA foam offers superior cushioning properties. This makes it an ideal choice for applications where impact absorption is crucial, such as in foam mats and sports equipment” (Hetman, 2023). Concluding, having a better cushioning properties these foam are much more flexible, crack resistant, UV resistance and easily moldable into any design I would want. This makes me think I should use EVA foam additionally giving it a tyre print and molding some properties of tyre will make it more efficient and have best impacts for my initial design.

CARBON FIBER

Brooks - The Hyperion Elite - 2020

The Hyperion Elite launched in 2020 inspires me to think about using carbon fiber in my initial idea. The respected brand brooks have recently started making shoes with carbon fiber plates which are mostly worn  by athletes which enhances their performance with energy during the run by cushioning their foot with comfort.

Brooks - The Hyperion Elite - Carbon Fiber Plate

The figure about is an appropriate example of using carbon fiber plate into footwear which supports me with my idea on how can I make it much better. Although officially now this idea is not invented by myself so I researched more upon how it feel while wearing it and how can I build my knowledge more with this idea. “With a considerable stack height, an 8mm drop and (according to Brooks) a wider base than the carbon shoes of competitors, the shoe claims to help runners run faster, but also prevent them from losing their form in the final miles of a marathon. On the foot, they feel extremely lightweight. Weighing approximately 196g, they are the lightest shoe Brooks has made so far thanks to the brand’s new ‘DNA Zero’ foam. We’ve only tested these over a 400m sprint round a running track, but they do feel fast”. (Mcguire, 2020)

Reference:

   Hailstone, J. (2022). What Happens When Tires Reach the End of the Road? [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiehailstone/2022/03/18/what-happens-when-tires-reach-the-end-of-the-road/ [Accessed 21 Feb. 2024].

Ramsay, H.T. and Senneck, C.R. (2003). Anti-slip Studs for Safety Footwear. Applied Ergonomics, 3(4), pp.219–223. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-6870(72)90104-4.

Hetman (2023). What Is EVA Foam. [online] foamcreations.com. Available at: https://foamcreations.com/en/news/what-is-eva-foam-and-what-are-its-common-applications#:~:text=Cushioning%20Properties%3A%20Compared%20to%20natural [Accessed 21 Feb. 2024].

Mcguire, J. (2020). Brooks Launch New Running Shoe with a Carbon Fibre Plate. [online] Runner’s World. Available at: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/gear/a30718436/brooks-hyperion-elite/ [Accessed 20 Jan. 2024].