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© GreenSmart 2009 GreenSmart is a trademarks of TD Innovations Bottles 2 Bags and Neogreene are registered trademark of TD Innovations
Neogreene is the GreenSmart trade name for the collection of products made from a proprietary formulation of thermoplastic elastomer foam. TPE-G2 foams provide the unique physical properties of traditional rubber foam products but with the processing efficiency of plastics.
TPE plastics have long been used in automotive, electrical, and toy industries however a TPE foam suitable for sportswear application had yet to be introduced. Our neogreene formulation has been modified to also match the Shore A value (a hardness test method) similar to SBR, rubber, and CR neoprene foam. This modification opens up the opportunity to offer the performance and environmental benefits of neogreene for bags.
Environmental
Aside from the compression and elastic benefits of Neogreene, it first offers a clear environmental advantage in comparison to neoprene and rubber foams.
Neogreene is considered Toxic-Free because there are no phthalates, VOCs, chlorine, nor metals that are traditionally comprised in neoprene (see reports on this page). Neoprene is also vulcanized in production while Neogreene is not. Neogreene can, at the raw material level, be reformed and reused.
Specific to neoprene, Neogreene consumes 25% less energy to manufacture and 25% less petroleum to produce. These two comparisons are conservative relative to the assorted manufacturing techniques and chemistries found for chloroprene/SBR rubber, etc. all considered neoprene in the market. In many cases the environmental benefit of Neogreene is substantially higher than this data for many versions of neoprene offered in the marketplace.
Water-Based Lamination
Neogreene packages (foam plus the fabrics glued to it) are only constructed using water-based adhesives. This eliminates the dependence on solvent based adhesives, which generally contain toluene and dimethyl formaldehyde. No neoprene supplier, that we have found, has yet to find an alternative lamination method for fabrics to neoprene rubber other than solvent based adhesives. In many cases, it is these adhesives that contain the VOCs which off-gas the distinctive odor popularly associated with neoprene.
Lightweight
Since TPE Foams are injected with hydrogen in the foaming process, it results in a material 50% lighter than neoprene by volume. This environmental benefit appears in the transportation savings of Neogreene vs. Neoprene from supplier to fabricator, to distribution to retailer.
Durability
TPE foams were first created to replace rubber in automotive applications because of its high-resiliency to both extreme hot and cold conditions. This resilience allows for Neogreene to provide a greater range of temperatures where it will continue to provide cushion and elastic properties.
Insulation and waterproof claims
Neogreene has a closed cell structure similar to neoprene (sponges are open cell foam). Neogreene has a superior Clo Value to that of neoprene. The Clo Value is a measurement of intrinsic thermal resistance. Neogreene provides approximately double the insulation properties of traditional neopre
ne. The closed cell structure makes Neogreene fully waterproof.
Hygienic
Because Neogreene is a closed-cell structure it does not absorb water. This benefit means that when the laminated fabrics get wet, it is the fabric that dries, not the entire package, as a sponge with fabric would, eliminating the potential for mold or mildew to form in a wet foam layer.
Neogreene toxicity details