BASF Introduces ReducedPCF Elastollan TPU Portfolio to Help Cut Product Carbon Footprints in Asia Pacific

BASF has launched its Reduced Product Carbon Footprint Elastollan thermoplastic polyurethane portfolio in Asia Pacific, aiming to help manufacturers lower emissions linked to their finished products without giving up the performance standards of existing Elastollan TPU materials.

The new ReducedPCF Elastollan grades are designed for important industries such as footwear, sports and leisure, and cable and wire. According to BASF, the materials can deliver an estimated 10% to 30% reduction in product carbon footprint compared with current Elastollan grades while keeping equivalent mechanical properties.

Lower Carbon Footprint Without Performance Trade-Offs

The key message behind the launch is simple: customers can move toward lower-carbon products while continuing to use TPU materials that behave like the grades they already know. This matters because many manufacturers are under pressure to reduce emissions across their value chains, but they cannot afford to sacrifice durability, flexibility, strength, or processing reliability.

BASF said the ReducedPCF portfolio is achieved through active carbon-reduction measures, including the use of lower-emission utilities and fossil feedstocks with lower product carbon footprints. The company also stated that its product carbon footprint calculation follows ISO 14067 and Together for Sustainability guidelines, helping customers access clearer and more traceable emissions data.

Shanghai Site Supports Local-for-Local Strategy

The first implementation of the ReducedPCF Elastollan TPU portfolio is taking place at BASF’s site in Shanghai. This site plays an important role in BASF’s Asia Pacific manufacturing network and supports the company’s local-for-local approach.

By producing the portfolio closer to regional customers, BASF expects to support shorter supply chains, stronger supply security, and faster technical support. This is especially useful for customers in fast-moving industries such as footwear, sporting goods, leisure products, and cable and wire manufacturing.

Biomethane May Further Support Carbon Reduction

BASF also noted that selected Elastollan TPU products made at the Shanghai site may include site-specific mass-balance biomethane as another carbon-reduction measure. This approach can help reduce the carbon footprint of materials while allowing industrial production systems to keep working at scale.

For manufacturers, this could provide a more practical route toward sustainable production. Instead of redesigning entire product lines, companies may be able to adopt ReducedPCF grades that remain technically identical to current Elastollan grades.

Why This Launch Matters for Customers

The launch comes at a time when brands and manufacturers are facing rising demand for more sustainable materials. Consumers, regulators, and business partners are paying closer attention to the environmental impact of products, including the emissions created during material production.

For footwear companies, lower-carbon TPU can support midsoles, outsoles, components, and performance parts. For sports and leisure brands, it may help create products that remain strong and flexible while carrying a smaller carbon footprint. For cable and wire producers, TPU’s toughness and resistance properties remain important, especially where safety, durability, and reliability are needed.

BASF Highlights Value Chain Collaboration

Rohit Roop Ghosh, Vice President of Business Management TPU, Performance Materials Asia Pacific at BASF, said the new Elastollan ReducedPCF grades help customers reduce the carbon footprint of their products without compromising performance. He also pointed to transparent PCF data, local manufacturing strength, continuous innovation, and collaboration across the value chain as major parts of BASF’s strategy.

The launch shows how chemical companies are trying to support downstream industries as they work toward climate-related goals. Instead of offering only experimental materials, BASF is positioning ReducedPCF Elastollan as a practical option for customers that need both sustainability and proven technical performance.

Outlook

The ReducedPCF Elastollan TPU portfolio could strengthen BASF’s position in the Asia Pacific performance materials market. With estimated product carbon footprint reductions of 10% to 30%, local production in Shanghai, and applications across several major industries, the portfolio gives customers another tool for lowering emissions while maintaining product quality.

As sustainability becomes a larger part of purchasing and design decisions, materials that combine lower carbon impact with familiar performance could become more important across manufacturing supply chains.

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