Pages 297–302
Abstract
Research summary supplied by the authors
The footwear industry is facing increasing pressure to minimize its environmental impact. It generates a significant quantity of rubber and other wastes. This study investigates the integration of agro-waste and renewable resources as functional components in footwear manufacturing, with a focus on sisal fibres and oilseed cakes combined with thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and natural rubber (NR). The synergistic reinforcement effect of oilseed cakes and sisal fibres in TPR and NR matrices was studied, with the inclusion of waste rubber (TPR/NR) generated from footwear making as a potential binder. Studies were conducted with varying ratios of virgin TPR/NR, waste rubber (TPR/NR), oilseed cakes and sisal fibres. Material characterization was carried out through mechanical, thermal, and chemical analyses to evaluate tensile strength, flexibility, abrasion resistance, and moisture stability. It was found that 1 : 5 : 2.5 : 2.5 ratio of virgin TPR/NR, waste rubber, oilseed cakes and sisal fibres provided promising results. Comparative evaluations with conventional material namely virgin TPR highlight the environmental advantages, including reduced carbon footprint and diversion of agricultural residues from landfills. Prototype soles and shoes were developed to validate practical performance in a realtime scenario. The results demonstrate that optimized bio-composite sole formulations can achieve properties comparable to conventional footwear materials, while significantly reducing dependency on petrochemicalbased inputs. The incorporation of agro-waste aligns with circular economy principles, promoting resource efficiency and enabling scalable pathways for industry adoption, specifically for next-generation low-impact footwear manufacturing.