Proudly Announcing the Exclusive Partnership Between Novamont and OrthoLite Cirql

OrthoLite Cirql is the culmination of two extraordinary innovations: the source material and the chemical-free foaming process. Today, we’re proud to announce our exclusive partnership with Novamont, as our partner and supplier of the bio-polymer source material.

In the realm of bioplastics, no company is as renowned and respected as Novamont, headquartered in Novara, Italy. It is the international leader in the development, production, and design of biodegradable and compostable bio-based plastics and chemicals.

Novamont’s credentials extend beyond brilliant scientific and horticultural work, and into the operations of the company as a whole. Not only is Novamont a certified B-Corporation, it has earned a top-tier ranking among fellow B-Corps. It is also a member of the United

Nations’ Global Compact network, a leadership platform for the development and implementation of responsible corporate policies and practices.

These verified bona fides demonstrate Novamont’s authentic and engrained commitment to responsible and sustainable operations, and should provide Cirql brand partners with added confidence in the transparency and excellence of their supply chain.

The partnership is Novamont’s debut in the footwear industry, with exclusivity granted to OrthoLite Cirql as the sole brand the company will supply.

“OrthoLite Cirql illuminates the path forward to truly circular footwear.”

Glenn Barrett, CEO and Founder of OrthoLite continues, “We are excited to be partnering with Novamont to escalate scalable solutions to drive positive change in the global footwear industry. This partnership is built on trust and transparency, as well as a relentless commitment to equip our 500-plus global footwear brand partners to have access to single-source circular materials, starting with the midsole.”

Making Cirql Circular: End of Life Importance

OrthoLite has always been relentlessly driven by innovation and our development team saw enormous potential to combine our expertise – foaming – with the proven and trusted Novamont biopolymer. Having the world’s best biopolymer partner in Novamont was central to the equation of success we’re committed to driving for our 500-plus brand partners, globally.

OrthoLite sought out Novamont for its pioneering activities in the field of circular bioeconomies. The company has over 30 years of experience developing chemical and biotechnological processes to create low-impact, certified biodegradable, and compostable solutions for everyday life. The successful product introductions from Novamont include packaging, separating organic waste collection, retail purchasing, disposable tableware, farming, lubricants, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and much more.

“Proving by facts that it is possible to do more with less, Novamont has always based its model on the development of products conceived as true catalysts for change, which are capable of activating much greater systemic effects than the product itself, and not as mere substitutes for traditional ones,” explained Catia Bastioli, CEO and Founder of Novamont. “Our philosophy has always been to avoid the problems of pollutant accumulation in the environment, and the fruitful collaboration with OrthoLite, a company that is also committed in finding solutions and not just products, allows us to bring our approach to the footwear industry for the first time.”

Our goal was to create the first, circular foam material in footwear, whose end of life would either be recyclable without performance degradation or compostable (at commercial facilities). We one-upped ourselves and achieved both in the patented solution of OrthoLite Cirql.

Cirql Materials and Process Innovations

Novamont Research developed the bio-polymer material and our clean, chemical-free foaming manufacturing process uses only liquid nitrogen, combined with heat and pressure sourced from renewable energy (in our Vietnam facility).

Unlike the conventional foaming methods in use today, Cirql’s process is totally free from dangerous chemicals and other toxic additives. The unique injection-molding process also results in efficient cycle times, with reduced energy consumption, no downtime, no polymerization, and no waste.

The result is the world’s first footwear foam technology capable of significantly reducing the high impact of the manufacturing process, together with the promise of multiple, sustainable, end-of-life disposal options.

Starting in late 2023, OrthoLite Cirql will offer brands a truly circular alternative to traditional plastic footwear foam.

Both OrthoLite and Novamont are vertically integrated companies with global operations and the means to scale and grow this innovation in stride with demand. There is capacity to scale on-site at our Center for Excellence facility in Vietnam, and we will work with footwear brands and factory partners to meet larger demands.

To see a full list of OrthoLite Cirql’s third party verifications and certifications, please visit here.