When thinking about the world of injection moulding, it is difficult to associate it with that of design. Mechanics, design, flows and sections; a complex subject, perhaps even a little difficult: it is hard to see the connection with the creativity that characterises a good designer. For the Zago Injection Moulds team, however, nothing could be further from the truth, because, as Marina Zago points out, ‘To make a good shoe, you need good foundations’. It is to support this principle that in 2021 Zago Injection Moulds came up with the idea of creating a series of animated videos for its website (www.zagomolds.com) that clearly and simply describe the injection moulding process for footwear. And it did so for each of the types of moulds that the company produces. Created in 3D graphics in an extremely accurate and incredibly illustrative way, Zago’s videos are able to show and make anyone immediately understand what an injection mould is and what the differences and characteristics of the different types are.
These videos have also recently been used by teachers at the Arsutoria school during training courses for company professionals. ‘The work done by Zago to explain the injection process for the production of soles in a simple but technically accurate way is undoubtedly a valuable resource for all those in the industry who want to better understand what goes on behind the scenes,’ said Matteo Pasca, director of the school. An unexpected opportunity that surprised the company itself: ‘We never imagined that developing these renderings would have such a wide resonance, but we are pleased to know it. At Zago, we have always looked to the future, and today the future of the footwear world is in the hands of the new generations of designers, technicians and craftsmen who, with their passion and dedication, choose to devote themselves to this profession,’ commented Marina Zago.
But who is Zago? Founded in 1958 in S. Angelo di Piove di Sacco, in the Padua area, Zago specialises in the design and construction of moulds for polyurethane and rubber injection. In the industry, Zago is synonymous with excellence, reliability and attention to detail, traits that make it a valued partner across the entire spectrum of production, from the most classic single and two-colour designs to the most complex, ambitious and pioneering multi-density designs using the latest generation of materials.
There was great excitement in the world of moulded sole production during Simac Tanning Tech in September 2025. Many new products were presented, all of which were extremely interesting. In the Innovation Outlook prepared by Arsutoria for Simac, we will discuss acronyms that refer to new material formulations and the latest technologies. However, we believe it is essential to first frame the business issues that led to the emergence of these innovations: a series of demands brought to the market by the search for performance, regulatory pressures and growing pressure from both consumers and the workforce within manufacturing companies.
THE SEARCH FOR LIGHTNESS
The first issue addressed, and probably the one that attracted the most attention, was undoubtedly that of lightness. In other words: the search for a reduction in the density of materials. In traditional moulding technologies, we are not talking about 3D printing and therefore lattice structures, the reduction in density has been sought through the expansion of materials. The two traditionally expanded materials are PU and EVA. Both materials trigger cross-linking processes, i.e. the formation of chemical bonds that consolidate the molecular structure and make it resistant to external agents such as heat.
The innovations presented at this year’s fair all concerned the use of gas to increase expansion, in the case of PU, or to expand traditionally compact materials such as TPU. Our observation is that precise alliances are certainly being created between technology manufacturers and material suppliers. Expansion processes, in fact, modify the physics of materials through relatively recent processes that inevitably require compliance with precise protocols to be developed jointly by those who supply the machines and those who provide the chemistry.
GENTREX – Tien Kang
RESEARCH INTO PROCESS INNOVATION
The second theme that emerged is that of the manufacturing process, with reference to worker health and safety. It is now clear that the fashion industry is finding it difficult to recruit staff who are willing to work in environments that pose health and safety risks, even for companies that manage these risks in the best possible way. Automation, i.e. the use of robots for handling materials, has been playing its part for years in removing the risk of operators coming into contact with high-temperature objects or being in close proximity to chemical agents that are sprayed onto moulding equipment. The innovations seen at this year’s trade fair explore further avenues of automation: the chemical compatibility between the materials used for moulding treads and midsoles favours a reduction in the chemicals needed to prepare the substrates in the bonding processes between two separately moulded parts. In the most virtuous cases, we are talking about co-moulding, i.e. positioning one of the two parts, usually the tread, inside the mould so that the other part can be cast or injected ‘on top’ and the adhesion between the two parts takes place inside the mould itself, without the application of adhesives. At an even more advanced technological level, the two parts are injected into the same mould in two successive injection steps. The advantages of this latter approach are also evident in terms of time and cost.
Desma SCF machine
THE PURSUIT OF CIRCULARITY
The third and final topic, linked to the previous ones and no less important, is that of material circularity. The progressive increase in the use of thermoplastics instead of thermosets for moulding soles simplifies the process of reusing materials. The elimination of chemical cross-linking processes makes plastic materials more easily recyclable. In any case, at this edition of the fair, we saw virtuous examples of supply chains that have organised themselves to manage the material recycling process at different levels. From an initial level of mechanical recycling that keeps the structure of the polymer chains unchanged, to different levels of chemical recycling: decrosslinking, which breaks the covalent bonds typical of cross-linking; but also depolymerisation, which breaks down the polymer chains into their starting chemical units, the monomers; and sophisticated pyrolysis, which is capable of breaking down the monomers and returning the materials to their original state. Upstream of these processes, of course, there must be a chain of operators suitably organised to collect the materials to be recycled, recognise their different chemical natures in order to separate them appropriately and treat them in a differentiated manner.
Vapesol – TPU and EVA soleCovestro – Desmopan FLY enables uniform fine-cell foams with superior cushioning, energy return, and lasting comfort for footwear midsoles
In the heart of a warehouse in Amsterdam, among machinery under construction and prototypes that change shape from one day to the next, a completely new way of making footwear has been born. This is where What the Future is rewriting the rules of industrial production, proving that sustainability, efficiency and flexibility are not just slogans, but concrete processes. Their 3DTI technology – a unique combination of 3D printing, thermoforming and injection moulding – promises to transform an industry often hamstrung by costs, lead times and rigid supply chains. A future shaped not in months, but in hours.
What the Future develops batch-to-mass manufacturing technologies that enable local, fast and low-impact production. Thanks to low-cost, reusable and recyclable 3D moulds, set-up times are drastically reduced, while the possibility of using bio-based materials and almost zero-waste processes could represent a leap forward for the entire industry. Not only that, but by adopting direct injection onto the upper, the company reduces costs by up to 20% and overcomes the limitations that have held back large-scale sustainable production.
Leading this revolution is Carrie Howe, Managing Director & CEO, as well as a former Olympic sailor, with a clear vision: to overturn a production system that produces too much, too far away and with too many compromises for the planet. We met her during the event organised by APICCAPS, “Welcome to the industry of the future!”.
Where does the urgency to reinvent manufacturing come from?
«The industry is in crisis because it can produce millions of identical pieces, but it is unable to easily switch from a prototype to customised production, from small series to large volumes. Above all, it generates too much waste. It was clear to us that a new approach was needed.»
What is the real innovation of your technology?
«We have combined existing technologies — 3D printing, thermoforming, automation and injection — to enable factories to produce in a cleaner, faster and more flexible way. Our 3DTI uses inexpensive and recyclable 3D moulds, reduces lead times from months to hours and allows us to work with more sustainable materials, such as bio-based ones.»
Can we go into more detail?
«3D printing: our technology uses low-cost 3D-printed moulds instead of traditional CNC-milled aluminium/steel moulds. As a result, production start-up is reduced from months to hours. This enables rapid and cost-effective development of new products and drastically reduces time-to-market.
Thanks to the use of 3D-printed moulds, shapes can be quickly modified on 3DTI production lines. The combination with upper injection allows for the same-day production of multiple products at a lower cost than existing mass production processes.
Thermoforming: our patented technology transforms standard thermoforming machines into flexible, high-speed production lines, thanks to the use of low-cost, 3D-printed, air-cooled moulds. After production, the moulds are shredded, pelletised and used to create filaments for new moulds.
Injection moulding: 3DTI offers many possibilities and a variety of applications. It can process any liquid, paste or gel. From complete shoes to individual parts (insoles, midsoles, outsoles, etc.), footwear made with 3DTI is tested to industry standards and designed to have minimal environmental impact.»
How do you differ from traditional technologies?
«We offer an end-to-end solution, designed for existing factories that do not have the space or margins to take risks. With us, they can innovate without disrupting everything. And the cost reduction exceeds €5 per pair: we are talking about a real impact.»
You are also working on the sustainability of materials. What does that mean in practice?
«For us, it is not an extra: it is the starting point. We use recycled plastic moulds that are turned into new filament at the end of their life; we work with natural rubber in liquid form, which reduces waste and impact; we eliminate glue by injecting directly onto the upper. Less chemicals, fewer steps, fewer emissions.»
I understand that at your headquarters in Amsterdam, you never stop experimenting…
«That’s right. This is demonstrated by the fact that at the heart of What The Future is a team of designers, engineers and material enthusiasts intent on doing things that many consider impossible, such as transforming a food packaging machine into a shoe factory. Not just any machine, but one designed to produce plastic containers for ham sold in supermarkets. Today, that machine does something much more interesting. It produces trainers. Printed in one night, not months.»
Can you give us a concrete example of the benefits of the systems you build?
«The traditional footwear industry is rigid and expensive. Steel moulds, aluminium tools, large-scale production and delivery times measured in months. Want to make a prototype of a new sole? Left and right, in all sizes? It will cost you at least €200,000.
With our technology, the same mould costs €15 in materials and is 3D printed overnight using recycled ABS. Instead of carving moulds out of metal, our system thermoforms plastic sheets. As I said, it’s a technique borrowed from the world of packaging, using heat and pressure. Then, it combines them with 3D-printed inserts for total flexibility. One day it’s children’s shoes, the next day it’s street style for adults, without making any changes to the tools, no waste, no delays, just a smooth and easily adaptable process.
Our modular system also allows us to change moulds quickly, enabling us to test different solutions or move into production, something that traditional industry can hardly imagine.»
Shall we talk about materials?
«Our soles are made from liquid latex. Pure, natural rubber extracted directly from trees grown in forests rich in biodiversity, not in monocultures. The liquid is poured into a mould to which a minimum amount of vulcanising agent is added during injection to cross-link the polymer chains and transform the rubber from a sticky material into a resistant elastomer. It is then mixed with natural additives to meet the industry’s requirements in terms of abrasion, slip resistance, etc.»
What is your vision for the future of footwear?
«A local, modular, easily repairable production system, where brands can produce close to their target market without relying on huge, distant supply chains. Our first plant in Mississippi will produce up to five million pairs a year: proof that this model is scalable.»
Turning waste into something new to wear. That’s what’s happening in the laboratories of Vapesol, a Portuguese specialist in the production of soles that has decided to take the word ‘circularity’ seriously.
As part of the FAIST Programme and in collaboration with the Centro Tecnológico do Calçado (CTCP), the company is developing three lines of innovation that have a common denominator: recovering industrial waste considered problematic and transforming it into high-performance soles.
EVA FROM EVA. The first project addresses a technical paradox: ethylene vinyl acetate is a cross-linked polymer that is traditionally very difficult to recycle, yet its production generates mountains of waste. Vapesol is developing specific grinding and reprocessing techniques to reintegrate these residues into new soles, while maintaining their comfort and performance properties.
LEATHER IN SOLES. The most disruptive innovation concerns the development of TPU and EVA soles that incorporate tannery waste – yes, the very leather that would otherwise end up in landfill. The high inclusion rate achieved exceeds current industry standards, opening up new scenarios for the supply chain.
RECYCLED NITRILE. Third front: rubber soles that incorporate nitrile residues from external production processes, such as disposable gloves. A material that no one had thought to exploit in footwear.
Vapesol is not simply recycling: it is re-engineering the very concept of the sole, demonstrating that sustainability and performance can coexist.
Among the new features is a new resin 3D printer that allows the creation of flexible and ‘wearable’ sole prototypes: a new way of thinking about footwear, even at the prototyping stage.ù
And, one more thing, a new machine (the second of its kind in Europe to date) that allows the moulding of two-colour EVA soles for products with cutting-edge performance, particularly in terms of lightness, but with an added focus on style and design.
During the “Welcome to the industry of the future!” conference promoted by APICCAPS, a visit was also made to Kyaia, one of Portugal’s leading footwear groups. Although it did not take part in the FAIST project, Kyaia was part of the Bioshoes4all programme, another important project, which has just been completed, that aimed to revolutionise the world of Portuguese footwear production by promoting the adoption of sustainable materials.
It is fair to say that there is a common thread linking the cork used in Asportuguesas flip-flops to the robotisation of a pilot line for eco-products: it is called strategic consistency. The Kyaia Group seems to have turned it into a method. Founded in 1984 in Guimarães, the company has built an ecosystem that goes far beyond shoe production, integrating distribution, retail, real estate and information technology. Today, it exports to over 70 countries with brands such as Fly London, Softinos, Foreva and Fred & Frederico.
Participation in the BioShoes4All project represents the natural evolution of this vision. The programme, coordinated by CTCP and led by APICCAPS, brings together 70 partners, including companies, research centres and universities, with a total investment of €72.7 million and €41 million in funding. The goal is ambitious: to steer the entire Portuguese footwear supply chain towards the bioeconomy and the circular economy.
For Kyaia, involvement has meant working on biomaterials and solutions for the valorisation of production residues. It is not just theory: the project involves the implementation of industrial pilot lines and the development of advanced technologies such as automation, robotisation and recycling. A process that will be completed by the end of 2025, but whose effects promise to redesign the very way we conceive of shoes.
Coordinating a consortium does not simply mean chairing meetings: it means charting the course. And that is exactly what Carité – Calçados, a Portuguese company specialising in private label production for major international brands, is doing by taking the lead in the FAIST Agenda.
The programme is structured around three key areas. The first concerns intelligent automation: Carité is developing an integrated and flexible production line, equipped with a conveyor synchronised with injection machines, pallets with RFID traceability and a thermal tunnel for stabilisation. This is complemented by the High Frequency Fusion Cell, a technology that fuses multi-layer fabrics and TPU films directly into the uppers, drastically reducing manual operations.
On the sustainability front, the company is collaborating on the development of multifunctional bioplastic coatings for insoles and uppers, capable of offering UV protection, moisture control and antifungal properties. At the same time, work is underway on eco-friendly packaging derived from tanning waste and 3D-printed shoe moulds that are recyclable and adaptable to different stages of production.
Finally, digitalisation: from the Visualgest system for AI-based planning, to the eCODICEC cloud platform designed to ensure data confidentiality in a highly competitive market, to the artificial vision systems mounted on cutting machines.
Bolflex, a Portuguese company specialising in rubber soles and a partner of the FAIST consortium, has developed: R-Skin.
The project stems from a simple question: is it possible to transform industrial waste from different sources into a material that can replace leather? The answer, it seems, is yes. But beware: we are not talking about yet another ‘green’ alternative destined to remain confined to laboratories. R-Skin is a sheet material designed to enter the footwear supply chain directly with real industrial requirements.
The heart of the innovation lies in the formulation. Combining waste from different applications poses a significant technical challenge: each type of waste has different characteristics, and the goal is to maximise their use without compromising durability, flexibility and aesthetic appeal. This is where intensive industrial design work comes into play, aimed at optimising every variable in the process.
The tests conducted evaluate the performance of the material on concrete parameters: how resistant it is, how it bends, what it looks like. Because in the world of footwear – let’s not beat around the bush – a sustainable material that does not stand up to market testing remains an academic exercise.
AMF-Toworkfor, a world leader in safety footwear, is turning the acronym FAIST into a tangible reality. Innovative injection processes on uppers and high-frequency fusion of parts. Reducing production steps and improving product durability.
It starts with Fusion Cell injection: a dual-station system with a dual-density polyurethane injector that allows simultaneous moulding of soles and bonding of uppers. Translated: where multiple steps were previously required, now a single step is sufficient. The reverse mould configuration, with mould rotation to inject different parts of the shoe, integrates high-precision mixing, real-time monitoring and IoT sensors. The result? Uniform dosing, better adhesion, drastically reduced times and costs.
But the innovation does not stop there. The High Frequency Fusion Cell represents an evolutionary leap in upper production: sequential pressing that combines heat, cold stabilisation and high-frequency moulding. Multi-layer fabrics, TPU films, reinforcements and decorations are fused directly into the uppers, reducing manual operations and ensuring resistance to thermal, chemical and mechanical stress.
The third pillar is digitalisation. In collaboration with Softideia, AMF has developed Assembly Line Production Management 4.0: real-time order tracking, automated classification and intelligent workflows. A system that does not shy away from micro-orders, but rather processes them with the same efficiency as large orders.
For a company that supplies private labels to major international players in the sector, this triple revolution is not just a simple technological upgrade. It is a concrete response to a market that demands the highest quality, total flexibility and short lead times.
From 30% to 3%: this is the collapse in European footwear production over the last thirty years. A figure that weighs heavily and provided the backdrop for the discussion between César Araújo (ANIVEC), João Maia (APICCAPS) and Kerstin Jorna (DG Grow).
“The Portuguese footwear industry is a success story, combining tradition with technology,” said Jorna in a video message. This optimism is understandable, but it clashes with a much harsher reality.
The influx of Asian players has upset the global balance. Yet, as Maia points out, Europe has managed to retain “the stages of added value: the creative process, brand management and the production of more prestigious footwear”. In other words, that remaining 3% is made up of excellence, premium products and luxury. Portugal, Spain and Italy are holding out thanks to their skills and know-how.
But resistance is not enough. The crucial issue is unfair competition. “Europe allows third countries to use the European market without applying the same rules that industries on the Old Continent have to comply with,” Araújo complains. He adds: “We are also facing the biggest tax fraud of the 21st century,” with non-European operators circumventing customs duties and VAT.
The regulatory response? Slow. Maia confirms that the European Commission will intervene, but only in 2028. Too late for those competing today.
And reindustrialisation? We have often described it as the great return of factories close to consumer markets. The reality is more nuanced: production is shifting to other, more competitive Asian countries. The real challenge, according to Maia, is “bringing production to Europe where our skills can generate competitive businesses.”
Araújo concludes with a vision: “European industry must transform itself, focusing on value-added products and the circular economy.” Provided that the rules apply to everyone.
“We live in a very polarised world,” said Sergio Dulio of UITIC during the FAIST round table moderated by Luís Moura. A phrase that accurately captures the current state of global footwear production: on the one hand, the mass market; on the other, the niche market. In between, a sea of questions about the future.
The panel, which brought together Carrie Howles from What the Future, Cristiano Figueiredo from CTCP and Dulio himself, addressed the crucial issue: how can we truly innovate in a sector where tradition and craftsmanship are still fundamental values?
There is no single answer. According to Dulio, there will be no room for large-scale expansion in terms of volume, but rather for “consolidation and diversification through innovation and the adoption of new technologies”. Figueiredo, on the other hand, pointed to the concrete obstacles that are holding back Portuguese manufacturers: high costs, a lack of skills and, above all, the need for in-depth self-analysis. “It’s not enough to buy a machine,” he stressed. “You have to understand what to automate and train people accordingly.”
Carrie Howles’ perspective on 3D printing is interesting: it is generating great enthusiasm among younger generations “who do not feel the need to perform certain tasks that are considered essential by more experienced people”. They believe that “technology can be used to produce shoes in a different way, which leads us to critically analyse our processes, looking for new ways and means to minimise the negative impact of certain tasks on workers.”
This concept was reiterated by Figueiredo: “Human beings must adapt to technology, but technology must be designed with people at its core.” Not replacement, therefore, but retraining. Yesterday’s workers can become tomorrow’s robot operators.
Finally, Dulio classified companies into three categories according to their ability to adopt innovation: the convinced, the cautious observers and the explorers. Each at their own pace, but with a shared certainty: innovating means changing the business model, not just buying technology.
