Our TPU outsole: Naturally fully recyclable
All our Senmotic soles are made from TPU, a thermoplastic synthetic material. This material combines the characteristics of synthetic and natural rubber. TPU requires no plasticizers and is very skin-friendly. TPU’s outstanding qualities lend numerous benefits to our barefoot shoes:
1. First of all, it is extremely wear-resistant. Especially when the outsole is only 2.9 mm thick, the material should be able to last a while and resist abrasive surfaces such as concrete and asphalt.
2. TPU has very high bending and tearing resistance. Especially important for Senmotic barefoot shoes, because they need a flexible forefoot section to maximize your feet’s natural range of motion.
3. TPU is very weather-proof. It does not fade in the sun and performs even at very low temperatures. And it offers great slip protection. Therefore, we can use our soles to produce barefoot shoes for all seasons.
4. The synthetic material resists oil, grease and solvents. This can be helpful when you have to fill your car at the gas station. You wouldn’t want to walk from the pump to the cashier and
actually stand there barefoot 
, because a diesel puddle dissolved your
outsoles ;) ;)
5. Although plastic usually means pollution, TPU is an honorable exception. This material is recyclable and biodegradable within 2 years, so it does not pollute the environment.
We use three types of 2.9 mm outsoles with visible differences:
- For our sneakers and the winter barefoot shoe “Storm”, we use the Senmotic FX10 outsole.
- Our running shoes come with the sporty FZR10 version.
- Our business shoes and ballerinas use the simple and delicate CR15 sole.
The second component of our soles is made of natural rubber. It is activated by walking; after 3-4 days, the sole gains about 50% softness and flexibility. So don’t worry when you unpack our barefoot shoes and they feel a little stiff at first. Thousands of our customers will confirm that after 3-4 days of wear, our Senmotic barefoot shoes feel nothing like the ones you took out of the box. We also source the TPU for our outsoles from a German plastics technology company.