Dongcheng Chemical Supplies Supercritical Fluid Foaming TPU Midsole Material to Outdoor Brand K2

On April 9, 2026, Dongsung Chemical announced that it is supplying its newly developed sustainable high-performance footwear material to the outdoor brand K2.

The company stated that its thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin Floathane™ has been used in the midsoles of K2's "Flowing" and "Flowing Lace" running shoes.

This material was developed using supercritical fluid (SCF) foaming technology, achieving significant advancements in both performance and sustainable manufacturing.

The supercritical fluid (SCF) foaming process utilizes nitrogen to form a fine and uniform cellular structure. Floathane™ produced through this process does not require the use of chemical foaming agents, thereby reducing environmental impact. It also features lightness, high resilience, and excellent shape recovery performance.

Floathane™ significantly enhances the performance of the midsole. The cell structure formed by the supercritical fluid (SCF) foaming process acts like springs, effectively absorbing and dispersing impact forces upon landing, and converting them into energy to support forward motion.

The company plans to actively seek cooperation opportunities with major domestic and international shoe brands, fully leveraging the performance and environmental advantages of Floathane™. Additionally, the company will establish a supercritical fluid injection molding foam production line at its Ulsan factory, providing customers with comprehensive integrated production support.

"Floathane™ meets the footwear industry's demands for both performance and sustainability," said Kim Man-sik, Director of the TPU Business Division at Dong Cheng Chemical. "We will leverage our expertise in resin compounding and synthesis to provide customized solutions for a variety of footwear applications."