Sustainability
A more responsible footwear industry
In recent years Europlast has invested heavily to make its production process more sustainable, reducing the use and emission of substances hazardous to health, from the most polluting solvents to volatile organic compounds.
Circular economy
Regenerating scraps
Several patents filed by Europlast promote a circular, sustainable economy that regenerates production scraps and offcuts, reduces waste and makes the most of natural resources.
- Scraps back into production
EVA scraps are recovered and reused while keeping the technical properties of the finished product unchanged.
- Recycled and biodegradable materials
An innovative sample collection and a sole collection developed with fully biodegradable materials.
- Research with the university
Processes developed with the Università Politecnica delle Marche and major companies in the district.
EU-funded projects
Research and development with the European Union
Europlast has carried out research, innovation and investment projects co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
SFERA: Sustainable Fabrication of shoE sole with Recycled evA €246,596.69
SFERA aims to make EVA sole production more sustainable by recovering production scraps and feeding them back into the production cycle, using advanced technologies and an intelligent optimisation system. It is based on a circular-economy model that reuses EVA scraps while keeping the technical properties of the finished product unchanged. The process was developed with the Università Politecnica delle Marche and involves major companies in the Marche footwear district.
REVAMP: moulded soles from recovered material
Objective: to develop a polymer recovery system that turns production offcuts into secondary raw material for soles made from recycled material.
Europlast and the ecological challenge towards new foreign markets €92,388.45
The project produced an innovative sample collection made with recycled and biodegradable materials. Europlast invested in consultancy for internationalisation and product innovation, equipment, raw materials and a patent filing, with the aim of creating a collection of fully biodegradable soles and entering new target countries.
Business plan for interconnecting Europlast production €159,889.92
The project upgraded the machinery with an E266 Evalution Bicolore 4.0 machine for injecting cross-linked thermoplastic materials such as EVA, connected to the company network. It introduced Industry 4.0 technologies and opened new markets with a new product: two-colour EVA soles.
Twin digital and green transition of Europlast Srl €140,000.00
The investment covered a sole-moulding machine, software to interconnect it, an ERP implementation and specialist consultancy. The company expanded production, connected all business areas and achieved energy savings.
Let's talk sustainability
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