Kimpur Produces Slippers from PET Waste

Kimpur continues taking new steps to create a sustainable future. The chemical industry company, which has succeeded in sourcing approximately 20% of polyester polyol used in slipper manufacturing from PET waste and approximately 17% from bio-based raw materials, takes justified pride in developing one of the finest examples of nature-friendly product ranges in its sector. The new product, which will be launched in Italy on 20 September, will pioneer the sector by enabling the production of the first elastic-structured slippers made from PET waste.   According to 2021 data from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, for every 1 ton of plastic collected and used in recycling, 41 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions are prevented, with savings of 66% in raw materials and 80% in energy at 5,774 kilowatts. Starting from these important figures for environmental protection and sustainability, Kimpur, one of the largest exporters within polyurethane systems houses, achieved a final product through its industrial trial project in slipper production by synthesizing polyester polyol from PET bottle waste, without compromising physical and mechanical properties compared to current standard systems. Implementing the project 'Polyester Polyol Synthesis from PET Bottle Waste and Its Commercial Use in Polyurethane Systems', which was awarded at the 10th R&D Project Market organised by the Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB) in 2021, Kimpur took a pioneering step in the manufacturing of sustainable and recycling-focused products.

Kimpur R&D Director Dr. Yener Rakıcıoğlu, stating that with the Kimpur R&D Centre registered by the Ministry of Industry and Technology in 2017, they take pride in leading the sector by offering extraordinary solutions to create projects beneficial to the environment and society, said:

"As Turkey's 100% domestic polyurethane manufacturer, we continue our R&D studies that make significant contributions to efficiency and savings in the life cycle of our products. In compliance with the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement aimed at combating global warming and climate change, with investments made under the incentive of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), we have completely removed blowing gases that damage the ozone layer from our products and are using more environmentally friendly blowing gases. We continue working on bio-based projects. In 2021, we started using bio-based raw materials in our footwear product group and in our rigid foam systems product group used in sandwich panel production. This year, we succeeded in synthesizing polyester polyol from PET bottle waste and obtaining a final product that does not compromise physical and mechanical properties compared to current standard systems and provides cost advantage. With the elastic structure of the product we obtained, we set a precedent in the sector and we are pleased to have taken a pioneering step in our industry with this product. We will launch our environmentally friendly product at the SIMAC TANNING TECH Fair in Italy on 20 September. We will continue to contribute to the sustainable transformation of industry and economy with our investments."  

Targeting reduction of 679 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually

Kimpur, which aims to significantly increase the commercial use of its environmentally friendly product in the 5,000-ton-capacity recycling facility for PET waste to be commissioned at its 2nd production facility in Düzce, is focusing on recycling at its new production facility in Düzce as part of its sustainability targets, and with this investment aims to meet approximately 55% of total electricity consumption while reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 679 tons. Continuing to add new projects to those it has undertaken as a mission to leave a livable world for future generations through its sustainability efforts, Kimpur achieved 7.06% energy savings in 2021 according to its sustainability report. Taking an important step for the necessary transformations in industrial production for the EU Green Deal, which has the potential to affect nearly everything from industry to exports, from access to finance to the functioning of the economy, the company will obtain approximately 20% of the energy required for production from clean energy through the solar power plant it installed in the building of its Gebze factory.