US materials innovation company Checkerspot has launched skis called Vital 100, which are made from its newest material – Algal Cast. The company unveiled its algae-based bioplastic product via its outdoor consumer brand WNDR Alpine. The new bio-based performance material replaces petroleum-derived acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) with enhanced physical properties, and near zero waste, Checkerspot said in a statement.
Vital 100 is a precision backcountry ski for technical, high alpine skiing. The new Algal Cast polyurethane is integrated into the Vital 100’s sidewalls. Applying this material creates a direct, epoxy-free bond to the ski’s core. “As a ski designer, working closely with our molecular biologists and material scientists on the Vital 100 allowed us to eliminate petroleum-based ABS plastic sidewalls from the ski’s construction, and has allowed us to rethink the ski manufacturing process as a whole, resulting in significant waste reduction,” said Matt Sterbenz, GM of Checkerspot Wintersports and founder of WNDR Alpine.
He added: “The development of our tunable Algal Cast polyurethane system demonstrates the integration of materials scientists, product design, and manufacturing to deliver products that meet or exceed the needs of the end user. In this case, skiers rely on this equipment in often challenging backcountry conditions. Bottom line, the materials have to perform.”
Source: Bio Market Insights
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