TPE for Sports and Leisure
Injection molded TPE is ideal for plastic used in sports and leisure equipment. The toughness of Star TPE makes it useful in a wide range of applications, including the toy and leisure market. There are many sports and leisure activities where you’ll find thermoplastic elastomers, from equipment, to apparel, to accessories.
TPE has long been sought after for its pliable and spring-like properties, and is commonly used in grippy toys, balls, and padding. Thermoplastic elastomers can be in soccer balls, volleyballs, and dodge balls instead of materials like PVC and thermoset rubber. TPE is also used in protective sports equipment and have been used in helmets, knee pads, protective cups, and mouth guards.
Advantages of Using Thermoplastics Elastomers in Sports
Star TPE is environmentally friendly and efficient, offering toughness and longevity. A TPE can offer value in saving total costs, i.e. production, labor and manufacturing.
TPE replaces synthetic and natural thermoset rubber, offering elastic properties with plastic processing. TPE can also be used to replace PVC for leisure and toy equipment, making it more environmentally friendly. Thermoplastic elastomers can be recycled due to their thermoplastic nature and makes them a ‘green’ offering to the world.
Demand for TPE across the globe is growing exponentially, with manufacturers scrambling to use the polymer in a variety of applications. From creating plastics used in sports to casual toys like flying discs, the use of TPE in toy production is only expected to grow in the coming years.
Common Uses
Star TPE is the perfect material to use to make balls, athletic mouth guards, and knee pads. Thermoplastic elastomers’ properties enhance the use of flying discs. TPE has been used for the hand grip on fishing poles, hiking and ski poles. They are lightweight and a good fit for both scuba diving and snorkeling fins.
Examples
Flying Discs
One of the simplest forms of TPE being used in sports & leisure is the flying disc, the perfect embodiment of what makes a TPE great; sturdiness, reliability, and flexibility. TPE resin can be colored, offering a wide range of possibilities for disc colors.
Water Sports
TPE can be engineered to have excellent wet grip, making it ideal for the use in surf pads and waterski clips. Thermoplastic elastomers can also have excellent spring for propulsion, for diving fins or for the perfect seals in watercraft dry compartments.
Helmets and Safety Equipment
TPE is often incorporated into helmets and other sports safety products, such as knee pads and chinstraps. TPE can resist blunt force and protect the user from injury.
Getting Started
Star Thermoplastics would love to get started working with you. With our wide variety of thermoplastic formulations we can deliver solutions that meet your exact specifications and needs for your product. As expert TPE manufacturers we understand completely what’s required to quickly get your production up and running.