Von Holzhausen is expanding its plant-based polymer platform into performance foam, targeting petroleum-based materials that are widely used in footwear and are difficult to replace.

The Los Angeles-based materials company said its new foam is made using Liquidplant, a polymer platform developed from plant-based feedstocks such as sugars and seeds. The material is designed for footwear and other high-performance applications.

Liquidplant starts as a polymer pellet that can be processed using existing foam-manufacturing methods. Von Holzhausen has tested the material through several processes, including supercritical foaming, and said it can achieve the low density, cushioning, flexibility and energy return needed for footwear applications.

The company describes the new foam as 100% plant-based. However, its announcement did not include detailed performance data, third-party testing results or direct comparisons with existing petroleum-based foam materials.