Footwear brands and material engineers now have access to an EVA midsole made from captured carbon emissions at commercial scale. Borouge International and Infinium, based in Sacramento, California, have enabled the commercial launch of CleanCloud™ technology for Swiss sportswear brand On. According to the companies, the material is used in On’s new Cloud X5, the first sports shoe with an EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) midsole made from captured carbon emissions at commercial scale.
Identical to conventional EVA
Traditional sports footwear midsoles are manufactured using EVA or polyurethane foams derived from fossil-based feedstocks. In this collaboration, captured carbon emissions are converted into e-Naphtha, an alternative carbon source that maintains the same performance, quality and specifications required for premium athletic footwear.
The collaboration demonstrates that CO₂, one of the main contributors to climate change, can be transformed from a waste emission into a feedstock for producing chemicals and materials at commercial scale. Because Infinium’s e-Naphtha is chemically identical to conventional naphtha, it can be processed through existing steam crackers and downstream manufacturing assets without modification, enabling rapid commercialization and scalability across the chemicals value chain.
Through the partnership, Infinium supplies Borouge International with renewable e-Naphtha produced from captured CO₂ and renewable hydrogen. Borouge International converts the feedstock into e-ethylene, which is transformed into e-EVA, the material that enables On’s CleanCloud™ midsole technology used in the Cloud X5.
The resulting EVA is molecularly identical to conventional EVA, delivering the same high performance.
ISCC PLUS certification across the supply chain
Every stage of the supply chain, from Infinium’s renewable e-Naphtha production through Borouge International’s conversion processes to On’s manufacturing partners, is ISCC PLUS certified. This provides verified chain-of-custody tracking and ensures traceability of low environmental impact feedstocks throughout production.
The project aligns with Borouge International’s strategy of delivering material solutions that advance circularity, improve resource efficiency and support customers in developing products with a reduced environmental footprint across a wide range of industries.
A scalable path to lower-carbon footwear materials
Demand for high-performance materials with a lower carbon footprint continues to grow. The collaboration establishes a framework for integrating captured carbon into everyday products through scalable industrial partnerships, supporting the shift toward lower-carbon materials across industries.
“At Borouge International, we are committed to advancing innovative material solutions that help our customers achieve their sustainability ambitions without compromising performance,” said Thomas van de Velde, senior vice president Base Chemicals at Borouge International. “This collaboration with On and Infinium demonstrates the power of partnerships across the value chain to accelerate the commercialization of materials with a lower environmental footprint.“
Together, the companies have created a scalable pathway for replacing fossil-based feedstocks in footwear production without compromising performance or requiring new manufacturing infrastructure.
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