Vapesol has been producing this type of material for approximately two years now, after investing half a million euros. However, the company has been struggling with "production waste”. To Décio Pereira, Vapesol’s CEO, "this is a rubber with specific high value characteristics known for lightness and comfort”. However, says Décio, "after going through a process of expansion, usually 40% of the material is hard to recycle [and due to that is only reused in the production of soles]”. The study was made in partnership with the Centre for Innovation in Polymer Engineering (PIEP).

The company, that was previously selling the material at a low price, has now found a way of giving it a second life. "In 2019, we launched the challenge to PIEP, so we could find a solution to reintroduce the waste of EVA material into the production process”, explains the CEO, in an interview with Rádio Vizela.

The results are already in: it’s possible to recycle 15% of the waste. "This is a victory because we’re talking about something that has never been done before. We believe that, by the end of the year, we’re going to be able to reach the goal we proposed to, which is a reintroduction of 50% of the waste”.

The environment isn’t the only thing that win. This discovery will also bring several financial benefits for the company, as it represents 30 or 40 tons of EVA a year that would go to waste. This means that the possibility of recycling this material will give Vapesol a big competitive advantage, in economic terms.

The first soles with recycled EVA were already presented in Milan, at Lineapelle.