CNF is a nano-sized ultra-fine fiber that is one-fifth the weight of steel but five times stronger. It can be made from almost any kind of plant biomass, making it an extremely abundant resource.
I recently wrote about the Gel-Kayano celebrating its 25th update, but in my haste to celebrate one of the best running shoes of all time, I failed to talk about the important updates to the shoes. Every brand is currently working on sustainability issues. Footwear is constantly being made and while we need shoes, the carbon footprint created by making a pair does considerable damage to the planet.
ASICS has joined forces with Kyoto Institute to utilize a patent pending technology for making stronger shoes that also reduce the carbon footprint. CNF (cellulose nanofiber) technology allows for plant based biomass to be repurposed into materials utilized in the midsole cushioning system of ASICS latest running shoe. For big guys like me this is important because we tend to wear bigger shoes and we go through shoes a lot faster. If the foam in these shoes can be made from a plant based material that’s an important step.
The new shoe features ASICS’s new foam material FlyteFoam™Lyte[1] for the midsole which uses the CNF to offer extra reinforcement of the bubbles.
As a result, the GEL-KAYANO™ 25 has improved both durability and stability for runners, without compromising on weight. Compared to the original FlyteFoam developed by ASICS, FlyteFoam™Lyte enhances strength by approximately 20% and durability by approximately 7%, while still remaining lightweight.
For the development of FlyteFoam™Lyte, ASICS adopted the Kyoto Process[2] , which is the innovative manufacturing process of CNF reinforced resin material researched by one of the world’s leading authorities on CNF, Professor Hiroyuki Yano of the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere at Kyoto University together with the Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture. The GEL-KAYANO™ 25, which is the first-ever product to be made through using this process, was realized by ASICS’s unique material design and foaming technology.