FAQ
Footwear adhesive FAQ
The questions footwear and leather goods manufacturers ask us most about Kyotex systems, machinery and getting started.
What is Kyotex?
Kyotex is the footwear and leather goods brand of ALC (Adhesives Leading Company), an Italian adhesives company founded in 1922. Kyotex launched in 2006 and is named in honor of the Kyoto Protocol. It's organized into four units — K System, K Thermo, K Next and K Pads — plus the Kyo machinery that applies them.
Do you serve manufacturers in the US and Canada?
Yes. Kyotex-Terlan Norteamérica is based at Calle 4 No. 2710-B, Colón Industrial, 44940 Guadalajara, Jalisco, México (+52 33 3645 0272) and works with footwear and leather goods manufacturers in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
What is a solvent-free shoe adhesive?
It's an adhesive that forms the bond without waiting for a solvent to evaporate. Kyotex offers three routes: pressure-sensitive tapes that bond with pressure (K System), hot melts that bond with heat and pressure (K Thermo) and a cold line with structural strength (K Next).
How does hot melt compare with solvent-based shoe cement?
Solvent-based cement goes on wet, and the solvent has to flash off before the parts are joined. A hot melt adhesive is a solid that melts with heat, is pressed and bonds as it cools — no solvent flash-off. See the full comparison in hot melt vs. solvent-based shoe adhesive.
What is insole adhesive tape?
It's tape carrying a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA): a solid, cold adhesive that bonds when pressed. It's applied to the material ahead of time; at the bonding station, operators place the insole and press — no ovens, no open flames and no solvent flash-off. Learn more about K System.
What is cold insole bonding?
It's bonding the insole without heating the adhesive or the material. It makes sense when materials can't take heat or when you'd rather not depend on heated presses. Kyotex covers it with PSA tape and with K Next, which aims for hot melt strength without heat. Read our guide to cold insole bonding.
What formats do K Thermo hot melts come in?
Granules, powder, film, web and net; all of them bond with heat and pressure. Powders are available in TPU, PES, PBS — a biodegradable option — and EVA. See K Thermo.
What shoe machinery do you offer?
Kyo equipment engineered together with the adhesives: the KYO100S (pneumatic) and KYO101 (electronically controlled) for self-aligning application of PSA adhesives up to 145 mm (about 5.7 in) wide, the KYO500 for medium and large leather goods parts, and new equipment for applying adhesive to zippers. See shoe machinery.
Do you supply leather goods adhesives?
Yes: PSA tapes with equipment such as the KYO500, K Thermo hot melts for bonding leather and other materials, and K Pads reinforcements. See leather goods adhesives.
Can Kyotex adhesives help lower VOC emissions?
They're designed to bond without solvents, one of the main sources of VOCs in footwear bonding, and according to Kyotex, K Pads reinforcements contain no solvents and no VOCs. How much a plant can cut depends on its process and should be measured; VOC rules also vary by state, province and local air district. We explain how to approach it in how to reduce VOC emissions in a shoe factory.
How do I request a quote?
Fill out the quote form or call us at +52 33 3645 0272. It helps to know the materials you bond, your production volume and how you bond today. A Kyotex specialist will get in touch.
Related guides
How to remove solvents from insole bonding
The three alternatives to solvent-based cement, how to choose between them and how to switch step by step.
Read the guide GuideHot melt vs. solvent-based shoe adhesive
How each one works and how they compare on VOCs, cycle time, equipment, materials and safety.
Read the guide GuideWhat is a PSA adhesive, and how is it used in footwear?
How pressure-sensitive adhesives bond, where they're used in footwear and leather goods, and their limits.
Read the guideWant to test a Kyotex system on your line?
Tell us what you bond and at what volume, and a Kyotex specialist will send you a recommendation.
Or call us at +52 33 3645 0272