Adidas' Innovation Team (AIT) worked with German chemical company BASF to create Boost technology. The goal was to develop cushioning that was both soft and responsive - two rather contradictory characteristics. At the time, EVA foam was the industry standard for performance running shoes. But Boost was about to change everything. A midsole made up of thousands of tiny cells that absorb and release energy with every step. In 2013, the cushioning technology was first used in a running shoe. Since then, Boost became a byword for running performance and was so popular that it even made its way into the sneaker world. Boost is made from thermoplastic polyurethane particles that are processed into a foam that is made up of all sorts of small, enclosed air pockets. This material is called expanded thermoplastic polyurethane, or eTPU for short.
