You might have noticed that the main component in our safety wellingtons is Polyurethane, or as it's more commonly known, PU. Polyurethane is a synthetic resin polymer composed of organic units joined together by urethane links, and polyurethane plays a crucial role in preserving the natural resources of our planet. There are a whole host of reasons why we use PU over materials such as PVC.

The integra.boot wellington range, all made with Polyurethane
- Polyurethane is a much more durable material and using PU ensures the lifetime of many products is extended well beyond what would be achieved when using products such as PVC. Three times as long in fact.
- Polyurethane is a highly versatile material capable of solving many problems. It can be manipulated in a number of different ways to create a sturdy and durable product which also rates extremely well when it comes to flexibility tear and abrasion resistance. PVC on the other hand does not rate as well on abrasion or weather resistance and does not have the environmental health benefits.
- Polyurethane can provide energy savings, lightness and comfort while footwear made with polyurethane tends to be longer lasting and fit for purpose.
- Wellington boots made with polyurethane are more resistant to oils, fats, manure, acid and chemicals compared to PVC. The flexibility of PU also means that the wellington boots are more comfortable to wear over boots made with PVC.
- Lightweight, highly abrasion resistant polyurethanes are perfect for hardwearing footwear and wellington soles with excellent long term mechanical products.

There are also a number of other benefits from using PU over materials such as PVC. The PU industry itself endorses the practice of conserving resources and minimising the environmental and health impacts of plastics and products, while polyurethanes help to save energy sustainability.
So what makes PU a better material to use than PVC? Apart from the fact that PU is a much more durable and versatile product, the basic building block of PVC is chlorine and chlorine production releases dioxins into the environment. This often leads to PVC products containing and leaking toxic additives. As many of these additives are not chemically bound to the plastic, they can migrate out of the product, thus causing potential hazards to consumers.
Furthermore, the discarding of PVC in landfills also poses risks to the environment and public. As flexible PVC degrades in landfills, toxic additives leak out of the waste, which becomes problematic for unlined landfills. These additives also contribute to the formation of landfill gases, which are formed in municipal waste landfills.
Paying slightly more money for safety wellingtons made with Polyurethane compared to the cheaper PVC is more sustainable and durable, offering better properties for the wearer.
Browse our wellington range and get your PU safety wellingtons today. We promise you'll #feelthedifference.

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