October 2021

Flocus™ kapok nonwovens and fabrics for the leather goods and footwear industry at Lineapelle, Milan

Flocus™ took part- with a selection of its kapok-based materials to the "A New point of materials" corner of the last edition of Lineapelle 2021, in Milan. The exhibition was dedicated to eco-responsible technology, application, materials and machine innovations organized by Lineapelle with @C.L.AS.S, D-house laboratorio urbano by Dyloan and Orietta Pelizzari.

Our presence purpose was to show some of the most performing and zero carbon footprint solutions based on Flocus™ kapok available for the leather goods industry, a sector that is making an important transition to sustainability in terms of processing and raw materials.

As for nonwoven, we have chosen 2 of many that we have created for a range of purposes which would be a :

  • Maliwatt - 50% Kapok, 50% PLA (based on corn), a 100% biodegradable non-woven which can be used as insulation for insoles and shoe sole. Maliwatt can be thermopressed/heat press and turned into a paper/cardboard type and lightweight structure.  It is the perfect material for sneakers, casual and active shoes thanks to its quick dry, antibacterial, hydrophobic, hypoallergenic, thermoregulating and Insulation properties. Other frequent applications are leather backing, construction and car seats and many more.

  • HDE /Hydroentanglement - 50% Kapok, 50% Organic cotton.  It is a 100% natural and biodegradable material that can be used in the shoe production as a sole, innersole for insulation alternative/ foam replacement, or as a padding for shoes and bags. Thanks to its numerous properties such as: thermoregulating, lightweight, hypoallergenic, thermoconductivity, insulation, soft touch, hydrophobic, anti-moth and anti-mite, it is used for a large range of applications.

Some fabrics based on various blends of Flocus™ kapok were showcased too: kapok and organic cotton with GOTS certification, Flocus™ kapok with Tencel and recycled polyester (Repreve), Flocus™ kapok with linen, organic cotton and a small percentage of Spandex.  These fabrics are a small selection of the wide variety of Flocus™kapok-based fabrics in different blends and weights that we can offer for the leather goods industry: linings, coatings, dust bags, fabric inserts, accessories, components rich in performance and style.

For more information or for sample request, please contact us