From the innovators at OrthoLite...
Pursuing sustainability has been part of OrthoLite’s core values since day one. We take our stewardship responsibilities seriously and we’re inspired by how much farther we can go to not only minimize our own environmental footprint, but lead the entire footwear industry in doing the same.
With the introduction of OrthoLite Cirql™, we bring a new approach to sustainability in footwear, both in materials and process. Powered by plants, Cirql effectively replaces conventional foams with a true soil-to-soil solution, setting a new standard for comfort, performance, and sustainability.
The Global Challenge is Mounting.
In the next 10 years, the waste that enters into our waterways will reach 22 million tons and possibly as much as 58 million tons a year (National Geographic). The flow of plastics into our environment is relentless and has reached crisis proportions. It's estimated that 20 billion pairs of shoes are produced each year, and conventional plastic is the most common foam used to make them (MIT News, 2013). In these environments, chemicals and toxins from the conventional plastic foams can leach for thousands of years as they slowly break down. We need footwear that's purposely focused on end-of-life solutions, in addition to sustainable material choices and responsible manufacturing processes. This is why we created OrthoLite Cirql.
Learn moreIntroducing OrthoLite Cirql Powered by Plants
OrthoLite Cirql is the critical solution needed to achieve true circularity in the footwear industry. A biopolymer made powerfully from plants, Cirql offers a pure foam alternative to conventional plastics, like EVA. Cirql sets a new standard for product and the manufacturing processes as a soil-to-soil solution for footwear. It is the world’s first biodegradable and industrially compostable comfort and performance foam technology.
Sustainable production process.
OrthoLite Cirql eliminates the use of toxic and hazardous chemicals commonly used in the product creation process. Cirql’s chemical free foaming process utilizes nitrogen (from the air we breathe) combined with renewable energy. No compounds are created and no chemical additives are required. Cirql is the first industrially compostable foam solution that allows brands and factory partners to move away from toxic and hazardous chemicals to a zero-waste production process.
Conventional EVA plastic-free. Period.
Today there are many eco-components that use recycled or repurposed materials, like ocean plastic, or plant-based ingredients, like dried algae or mushrooms. Powered by Plants, Cirql’s breakthrough bio-polymer technology sets a new standard for truly sustainable footwear, free of conventional plastics and no persistent microplastics moving toward true circularity and zero waste.
