Why SBR or Silicone Is Not a Complete Material Specification | SKDK SPORT

July 23, 2026

Why "SBR" or "Silicone" Is Not a Complete Material Specification

By Arnold Ji, Co-Founder of SKDK SPORT

"SBR," "silicone," or "PVC" is not a complete material specification.

Two products can use the same base-material family and still look, feel, and perform very differently.

The formulation and production process decide much of what the buyer actually receives.

A Polymer Is Only the Starting Point

A polymer is only the starting point. A finished compound may also contain fillers, plasticizers, pigments, stabilizers, and processing aids.

Change their balance, or change the mixing, curing, and molding conditions, and the final product may show differences in:

Color and surface appearance
Hardness and flexibility
Skin-contact feel
Surface tack and dust attraction
Consistency between production batches

Dust Resistance Is a Good Example

Some surfaces attract dust because they are tacky. In other cases, static charge contributes to dust accumulation.

The solution may involve formulation, processing conditions, antistatic control, or surface treatment — not simply switching to another material name.

For products worn against the body, we also separate two questions:

Does the product feel comfortable?
Does it meet the required skin-contact and market standards?

Material Selection Is Product Development

At SKDK SPORT, material selection is part of product development, not just purchasing. We compare trial products with the approved reference sample before bulk production, including color, flexibility, surface feel, and dust pickup.

This matters for knee supports, ankle braces, and wrist wraps — products where a small formulation change can shift the entire user experience.

Because approving "silicone" or "SBR" is not enough.

The buyer should approve how the finished product actually performs.