The first seamless trail running shoe made with DSM’s bio-based Dyneema fibre is being introduced by Canadian shoe brand norda.

Norda’s flagship product, norda 001, employs bio-based Dyneema to enhance performance and sustainability in a lightweight construction.

The shoe upper is seamlessly constructed with Dyneema fabric, which benefits from the intrinsic properties of the world’s strongest fibre. Dyneema is engineered at the molecular level to provide high strength, low weight, waterproof and breathable properties – fusing the technical performance of ultra-light materials with aesthetic design that does not sacrifice strength or durability.

In addition to the increased foot stability and wearer comfort of the upper, Dyneema fibers are also used to increase abrasion resistance and stretch in the shoe laces – providing four times the level of strength when compared to standard lace materials like nylon and polyester.

“When we set out to create the norda 001, our mission was to design an ultra-strong and durable high performance trail running shoe, and do it as sustainably as possible,” said norda co-founder Willamina Martire. “To achieve our goal, we had to look outside of the standard materials used by the footwear industry.”

Bio-based Dyneema has identical performance properties to conventional Dyneema with a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than generic HMPE. Sourced from renewable, bio-based feedstock, DSM uses the mass balance approach to further reduce the reliance on fossil fuel based resources.

www.dsm.com