I’ll never forget the first time I was asked to figure out how to bond TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) to fabric for a footwear project. The goal was to create a seamless, durable connection between a flexible TPR sole and a textile upper, but the initial attempts were a mess—peeling edges, weak bonds, and frustrated production […]

I still vividly recall the frustration on a client’s face when their TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) parts kept failing adhesion tests, despite using a primer. The paint was peeling, the coating was patchy, and the team was at their wit’s end. As someone who’s spent over a decade troubleshooting coating issues in the materials industry, I’ve

I’ll never forget the first time I encountered a TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) peeling issue on a production line. It was a hectic day at a footwear factory, and the freshly molded shoe soles looked promising—until we noticed the surface flaking off like old paint. The team was frustrated, and I was tasked with figuring out

When I first got into the materials industry, I was fascinated by how a handful of raw ingredients could transform into TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) pellets—those versatile little beads that become everything from shoe soles to medical grips. I remember standing in a compounding plant, watching the extruder churn out glossy TPR pellets, and wondering, “What

Back when I started in the materials industry, I was handed a squishy, stretchy sample of TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) and told it was the future of flexible plastics. I was hooked. Its ability to bend like rubber yet mold like plastic opened up endless possibilities, from shoe soles to medical grips. But as I worked

I still remember the first time I was handed a sample of TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) during my early days in the materials industry. It was soft yet durable, flexible yet moldable—a material that seemed to defy simple categorization. Over the years, as I worked with manufacturers, designers, and engineers, one question kept popping up: “What

When I first stepped into the materials coating industry, I was struck by how something as seemingly minor as a paint thinner could make or break a project. Working with TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) paints is no exception. TPR’s unique blend of rubbery flexibility and plastic processability makes it a favorite for products like shoe soles,

As someone who’s spent over a decade in the materials industry, I’ve worked with countless clients puzzled by how to achieve vibrant, consistent colors in TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) products. Whether it’s for shoe soles, toys, or medical devices, getting the right hue is as much an art as it is a science. When I first

As someone who’s been in the materials industry for years, I often get questions about the hardness of TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber). TPR, with its flexibility, abrasion resistance, and eco-friendly properties, is a go-to material for shoe soles, toys, seals, and more. Yet, hardness—one of its core properties—can be a puzzle for newcomers or procurement folks.

In my years working with TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) in manufacturing plants and product development labs, I’ve encountered all sorts of challenges, but one that always seems to catch people off guard is when TPR products or components stick together. Whether it’s shoe soles fused in storage, toy parts clinging after molding, or grips melded during