Best known for producing technically-advanced automotive tyres for Formula One cars, Michelin has now set its sights on the sports market through a new collaboration with Umbro to develop football products. The first product is the X Boot III football boot which includes a specially developed material designed by Michelin that, when combined with the suede strike area of the boot, is claimed to provide a 90% improvement in control, touch and striking accuracy.

This is not the first time that the company has collaborated with sports brands, having worked with French tennis brand Babolat three years ago when Michelin’s technology was applied to the outsoles of tennis shoes. The company has also collaborated with French table tennis equipment manufacturer Cornilleau, when Michelin technical experts developed the surface material technology of a new all-composite table tennis bat for leisure use.