CLEARWATER, Fla—That next pair of sneakers or even that new cell phone case may be made from recycled foam from someone's old mattress thanks to recent advancements in technology from Vitricycle L.L.C.
Clearwater-based Vitricycle is using its new technology to reuse and repurpose used mattress foam. The process transforms polyurethane mattress foam into polymer pellets. The end product can be used for a wide variety of molded products, including shoe soles, cell phone cases or rubber gaskets for various industrial uses.
Vitricycle is a subsidiary of Edge Global Innovation Inc., a company that develops and commercializes cutting-edge technologies across several engineering fields, including but not limited to polymer science, advanced robotics and petroleum engineering. In 2024, Vitricycle was spun off to focus on the company's advanced foam recycling technologies.
The recycled material is ground and mixed with additives to create reformable pellets. Additives, including coloring, can be tailored to make a specific mixture needed for molding into new products like shoe soles. The research determined that the pellets could be composed of up to 75 percent recycled mattress foam. The balance would be virgin polymers and other additives.
The process does not use catalysts or solvents, which minimizes the environmental impacts of the technology.
"We only use common materials typically found in resin manufacturing. Our process does not require harmful catalysts or solvents, making it environmentally friendly and cost-effective," Vitricycle CEO and Founder Vahid Serajian told Rubber News.
And so far, it's garnering attention.