Materials company von Holzhausen has introduced what it calls the world’s first 100% plant-based performance foam, unveiling the material under its Liquidplant brand this week at the NW Materials Show in Portland, Oregon.
The Los Angeles-based firm said the foam is designed to replace petroleum-based chemistries long used in cushioning and performance applications, targeting footwear as its lead use case. Liquidplant begins as a plant-based polymer pellet that can be processed through established foam manufacturing methods, including supercritical foaming, which the company said allows it to reach exceptionally low densities while delivering the cushioning, energy return and durability footwear brands require.
“Performance has always been the barrier to replacing petroleum-based materials,” said Vicki von Holzhausen, chief executive of von Holzhausen. “With Liquidplant, we’re proving that plant-based solutions can deliver the performance, comfort and durability required by today’s most demanding applications while eliminating the harmful chemistry associated with traditional foam processing.”
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The company said Liquidplant is engineered from sugars and seeds through a patented green chemistry process, with biomolecules produced primarily via biofermentation rather than the toxic chemical routes used in conventional plastics manufacturing. It is designed for bio-circularity, meaning it can either be recycled back into itself or biodegrade naturally without leaving behind toxins or microplastics, according to the company.
Beyond footwear, von Holzhausen said Liquidplant has already been applied across a growing portfolio of case studies spanning wearable technology and injection-molded components, positioning it as a potential substitute for materials including TPU, EVA, PEBA, silicone and other performance plastics. The platform is available in both foam and resin formats, which the company said allows brands to integrate it into existing manufacturing workflows without significant retooling.
Performance-grade bio-based foams have remained a persistent gap in the footwear industry’s push to cut reliance on fossil-derived inputs, with most plant-based alternatives to date falling short on the cushioning and energy-return properties athletic and outdoor applications demand. Von Holzhausen’s entry adds to a wave of materials innovation aimed at that segment, as brands face pressure to source lower-carbon, non-toxic alternatives to conventional TPU and EVA foams without compromising on performance.
Von Holzhausen, which operates an innovation lab in Los Angeles, is positioned as a science-driven materials company focused on eliminating fossil fuels, microplastics and toxic chemicals from supply chains through biotechnology-based alternatives to petroleum plastics. The company said it plans to expand Liquidplant’s application base further as it works with brand partners on additional case studies across footwear and adjacent product categories in the months ahead.