British sports brand inov-8 partnered with
The University of Manchester to become the
first-ever company to incorporate graphene
into running and fitness shoes.
Laboratory tests have shown that the rubber
outsoles of these shoes, new to market in 2018,
are stronger, more stretchy and more resistant
to wear.
Commenting on the collaboration and the
patent-pending technology, inov-8 CEO Ian
Bailey said: "Product innovation is the number-
one priority for our brand. It's the only way we
can compete against the major sports brands.
The pioneering collaboration between inov-8
and the The University of Manchester puts us
– and Britain – at the forefront of a graphene
sports footwear revolution.
"And this is just the start, as the potential of
graphene really is limitless. We are so excited to
see where this journey will take us."
Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan, Reader in
Nanomaterials at The University of Manchester,
said: "When added to the rubber used in
inov-8's G-Series shoes, graphene imparts
all its properties, including its strength. Our
unique formulation makes these outsoles 50%
stronger, 50% more stretchy and 50%
more resistant to wear than the corresponding
industry standard rubber without graphene."
"The graphene-enhanced rubber can flex and
grip to all surfaces more effectively, without
wearing down quickly, providing reliably strong,
long-lasting grip.
"This is a revolutionary consumer product that
will have a huge impact on the sports
footwear market."
inov-8
