Footwear including bio-based materials

Abstract

A composite material for footwear where the composite material includes a substrate and a material layer applied to the substrate. The material layer includes at least two transfer coating layers and an adhesive layer that secures the material layer to the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite material for footwear, comprising:
 a substrate; and   a material layer applied to said substrate, said material layer including at least two transfer coating layers and an adhesive layer that secures the material layer to said substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layers of the transfer coating includes polyurethane polymer resins dispersed in water with a solids content of 35% to 45% and a cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         3 . The composite material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the layers of the transfer coating includes aliphatic high solids based bio polyols and a cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         4 . The composite material of  claim 1 , further comprising a finish applied to a surface of one of said at least two transfer coatings. 
     
     
         5 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a pile fabric. 
     
     
         6 . A method of making a composite material having a surface that closely resembles leather, the method comprising:
 providing a release paper;   applying a first layer of a transfer coating to the release paper;   heating the first layer of the transfer coating on the release paper to at least partially cure the first layer of the transfer coating;   applying a second layer of the transfer coating to the first layer;   heating the second layer of the transfer coating on the release paper to at least partially cure the first and second layers of the transfer coating;   applying an adhesive layer to the second layer of the transfer coating;   attaching a substrate to the adhesive layer;   heating the adhesive layer after attaching the substrate to at least partially cure the adhesive layer; and   separating the release paper from the first layer of the transfer coating.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein heating of the first layer is at a temperature of 80 to 120° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein heating of the second layer is at a temperature of 150 to 160° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein heating of the adhesive layer is at a temperature of 80 to 120° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein heating of the second layer is at a temperature of 150 to 160° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein heating of the adhesive layer is at a temperature of 80 to 120° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein one of the first layer or the second layer of the transfer coating includes polyurethane polymer resins dispersed in water with a solids content of 35% to 45% and a cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one of the first layer or the second layer of the transfer coating includes aliphatic high solids based bio polyols and a cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the separated release paper is stored and re-used. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein applying the first layer of the transfer coating and applying the second layer of the transfer coating each include a coating applicator that supplies the transfer coating to a trough and the release paper is moved through the transfer coating in the trough to apply the first and second transfer coating layers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein one of a coating blade or a coating roller is positioned adjacent to the release paper as it exits the trough and fixed at a distance above the release paper to remove excess transfer coating from the release paper, wherein the distance of the coating blade or coating roller above the release paper is equal to a designated thickness of the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         17 . The composite material of  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcement material applied to at least one surface of said substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising applying a reinforcement material applied to at least one surface of said substrate.