Sustainable TPE Solution for Comfort and Durable Smartwatch Straps 

A smartwatch does more than tell time—it tracks your activity, heart rate, sleep, and communicate via apps. Living a smart lifestyle means caring for yourself and the environment, and a smartwatch with components made of sustainable materials can be an interactive way to stay active and mindful of your lifestyle and the environment. Choosing high performance wearable device materials like thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) with recycled components and low compound emissions aids in reducing e-waste while keeping the device durable and efficient.

KRAIBURG TPE, a global manufacturer of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and customized material solutions for various industries, offers its THERMOLAST® R series, ideal for smartwatch components, delivering the performance users expect while also meeting the growing demand for sustainable TPE materials in consumer products application.

Sustainability at the fore
The THERMOLAST® R series incorporates a hardness-dependent post-industrial recycled content ranging from 34% to 50%, allowing manufacturers to lower their environmental footprint without compromising product quality. The GRS-certified compound and recycled TPE material balances sustainability and reliable performance for high-volume electronics production.

Comfort and durability assured
THERMOLAST® R compounds offer a smooth, non-sticky TPE surface and a premium tactile feel for smartwatch straps, taking user comfort up a notch. The smartwatch strap material’s optimized mechanical properties ensure durability against repeated bending, stretching, and daily handling, making the material ideal for long-term use in wearable devices. With excellent wear-resistance, the compounds keep smartwatch straps in top shape even with frequent use.

Seamless integration with rigid components
THERMOLAST® R exhibits excellent adhesion to engineering plastics such as PC, ABS, and PC/ABS in multi-component injection molding, allowing soft strap elements to bond seamlessly with rigid smartwatch housings. Using this injection molding TPE enhances product reliability and streamlines manufacturing, ensuring consistent quality in high-volume production.

Well-rounded design possibilities
THERMOLAST® R soft-touch TPE compounds are available in black and natural colors, with pre-coloration options that offer versatility for brand-specific aesthetics and product differentiation. Widely used as TPE in consumer electronics and wearable devices such as earphones, remote controls, gaming consoles, and other soft-touch components, they allow designers to create functional and visually appealing products across various applications.

Sustainability from the get-go
At KRAIBURG TPE, sustainability drives our innovation. Our portfolio includes bio-based TPEs and compounds with post-consumer (PCR) and post-industrial (PIR) recycled content. Selected TPEs are certified under GRS and ISCC PLUS. We also provide Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) data upon request to support sustainability decisions.
We proudly earned the EcoVadis Gold Medal in 2025 and are committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligning our goals with global climate action.
From reducing emissions to increasing circularity, our sustainable TPEs deliver reliable performance and are available worldwide to support your applications while advancing your sustainability goals.
Get in touch today to learn how KRAIBURG TPE can support your sustainability and product development journey.
Discover More with TPE: Whether it’s speakers or mobile accessories, KRAIBURG TPE delivers safe, durable, and user-friendly solutions for every day.

Disclaimer: The applications mentioned are illustrative of material capabilities only. Final product suitability and regulatory compliance must be assessed and validated by the customer.