THE DEBUT AT ENFORCE TAC IN NUREMBERG. THE NEW NEXX4TM SOLE DEVELOPED BY JV INTERNATIONAL IS CHANGING THE RULES OF THE GAME IN THE FOOTWEAR WORLD AND BROADENING ITS HORIZONS
The new brand that defines the sole of the future is called NexX4TM. The first-time application of NexX4TM technology on a camouflage combat boot (Striker model) presented by the Czech brand Prabos at Enforce Tac 2024 in Nuremberg has changed the rules of the game in the military sector. Now the innovative product developed and patented by JV International is about to revolutionize not only the world of soles but the very way in which any type of footwear is conceived, designed and manufactured. The JVI-Engineering Business Unit dedicated to strategic and technical consultancy to companies in the footwear industry tells us about it.
The innovative NexX4TM sole developed by the JVI-Engineering Business Unit owned by JV International has been described as ‘the dawn of a new era’. What is the added value that can make a difference, the one that can attract attention from the most prestigious footwear brands who believe in product quality and foresee the needs of their consumer?
“NexX4TM is the brand name that identifies the new invention developed and patented by JV International. The NexX4TM sole has been called ‘the dawn of a new era’ because it represents the beginning of a real revolution in the world of footwear in terms of the performance and production process of the sole itself. The technology concerns the production process of technical soles for footwear with a tread/design suitable for any type of shoe, of any shape and thickness. Soles with NexX4TM technology are characterised by extremely lightweight, high abrasion resistance, long life and consistently high performance over a wide temperature range. The NexX4TM invention lies in the fact that the sole/tread obtained by this process is completely transparent and colourless as well as odourless, if not intentionally coloured or customised with specific graphics, unlike any other sole made with other technologies and other materials. With NexX4TM, JVI-Engineering has decided to change the rules of the game by revolutionising not only the world of soles, but the very way footwear is conceived, designed and manufactured.”
With what materials and technologies was NexX4TM made?
“The technology involves mixing together two mixtures of different materials in predefined proportions and placing them inside a vacuum mold until the elastomer has completely cross-linked. Thanks to NexX4TM technology, it is now possible to manufacture soles of any shape with very limited thicknesses of up to 0.6 mm on both tread and sides. In addition, it is possible to produce flat or even box soles with heights ranging from a few millimetres up to approximately 70 mm. The NexX4TM sole can be coupled with any type of midsole (EVA, PU, Supercritical, etc.). The coupling with PU foam midsoles takes place without chemical pre- treatment or bonding, with considerable economic and environmental advantages.
What other sectors do you think it is destined to enter aside from military footwear, in which the new NexX4TM sole made its debut?
“The potential applications of NexX4TM are not limited to just one sector, but the characteristics of this innovation allow it to bring great advantages both in the work & uniform segment and the sports segment through to the obvious unique features that the fashion industry can benefit from. Also, thanks to its extreme lightness and the fact that the material is completely transparent, NexX4TM can be aesthetically customised to an unprecedented level, freeing the creativity of designers and footwear developers whatever the sector of application”.
Environmental and sustainability issues are now essential. How do you integrate them into the NexX4TM production process?
“NexX4TM, thanks to its wear resistance characteristics, allows us to design extremely light soles that use up to two thirds less raw materials than a normal rubber sole. Similarly, the durability of the sole over time means that the life cycle is significantly increased, reducing the number of shoes to be disposed of. Finally, in the event that a polyurethane foam midsole is to be used, NexX4TM does not require any chemical treatment or prior gluing, which is a great benefit to the environment.
Do you think that with this latest innovation, JV International is destined to become the undisputed leader in the soles sector?
“NexX4TM is undoubtedly an innovation that moves the performance of soles and the creative possibilities of designers to another level, changing the rules of the game in the world of footwear and considerably broadening its horizons. The mission of JV International has always been and will continue to be to develop the best innovative solutions to give consumers a new experience of movement. Our obsession is not to become a market leader or not, but rather to generate ideas and create innovations that improve the lives of the people who use our products.
The Striker camouflage combat boot presented by Prabos at Enforce Tac in Nuremberg features NexX4TM technology: a unique sole with consistent high performance in all weather conditions