BLUMAKA Launches High Performance Insoles from Recycled Foam

 

Can we turn trash into traction? Garbage into grip? Refuse into results?

 

Yes! BLUMAKA creates sustainably sourced and environmentally conscious footwear products including our two insoles, KONNECT and Comfort. 

 

Why have professional athletes from MLB and NFL, as well as D1 athletes from around the country put our insoles in their shoes and never taken them out? Because our KONNECT insoles keep their feet locked into their shoes for better control. Athletes have more efficiency when planting, pivoting, and changing direction, plus the ability to drive power from the ground with confidence.

On top of unparalleled comfort, KONNECT insoles provide something that the footwear market has never seen – grip between your foot and your insole. Here at BLUMAKA, we don’t think it’s an effective use of time or energy to have your shoe stop while your foot slides even a ¼ of an inch before bumping against the toe or side of your shoe.

 

Our KONNECT insoles are built for any sport application where athletes need to keep their feet connected to their shoes. For hiking or trail running, your feet won't jam to the end of your shoes when you're going downhill. In sports like baseball or tennis, you can plant or pivot your feet without slipping in your shoes. If you skateboard, you will have better connection to your shoes, giving you better board feel when trying tricks. In golf, your feet stay grounded in your cleats allowing you to drive more power in your swing.

 

Our Comfort insoles are built for support and cushioning in your shoe. Do you have a pair of shoes that look great, but leave something to be desired in the comfort department? Have your favorite go-to sneakers lost some of their cushioning? Do your feet need more support in your stand-all-day job? Before you retire those uncomfortable or unsupportive kicks, grab a pair of Comfort insoles and you’ll see that any of your shoes can be your favorite pair.

 

Is that it?

 

No way. BLUMAKA has the HIGHEST RECYCLED FOAM CONTENT IN THE SHOE INDUSTRY of any foam supplier. Our insoles contain up to 85% recycled material, by volume. We take the leftover foam scraps from the traditional foam manufacturing process that are going to be put into a landfill and repurpose them into new insoles. We use high performance  foam scraps to ensure high performance products.

 

The awesomeness doesn’t stop there; our manufacturing process is significantly cleaner than the traditional processes. Our Independent Life Cycle Assessment shows that our manufacturing process creates a 65% reduction in greenhouse gasses compared to traditional PU and a 26% reduction compared to traditional EVA. Blumaka’s process has four times less environmental impact than the traditional process. We create comfort and improve performance while decreasing waste!

 

How did we get there? Current manufacturing practices use formamide blowing agents, up to a gallon of water per pair of insoles, silicone mold releases, steel molds, solvents, and 400 degree heat to create midsoles and insoles. BLUMAKA uses no formamide, no heat, no silicone mold release, no steel molds, and uses only four grams of water per pair. It is simply a cleaner process.  

 

BLUMAKA has a B2B business in which we work with brands to build insoles and midsoles with up to 85% recycled content. We can either use our source for recycled content or we can use the left-over foam scraps from the companies we work with, as long as the manufacturing facilities are in close proximity. We are building out manufacturing facilities all over the world in order to have local manufacturing to further promote sustainability. Eventually, we will work with brands to build a product line focused on circularity, where there is an end-of-life plan for the shoes they are producing. Currently, no other foam company has the ability to do this.

 

We are proud to have the highest sustainable content of foam, the cleanest manufacturing process, and the highest percent loop content possible. BLUMAKA is continuing to look for ways to recycle foam and turn it into high performance footwear and other performance products. We are tired of the greenwashing and unclear messaging in the sustainability movement, so we maintain transparency and are constantly striving to do better.

 

We encourage people to join us in our mission to clean up the planet.