International delegates give the thumbs-up to corncob rain boots with Wang Zhou, general manager of Hangzhou Kunpeng Rubber. [Photo/Tide News]

A pair of rain boots made from corncobs drew much attention during the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, initiated by UNESCO — which opened in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, on Sept 22.

The boots, produced by Hangzhou Kunpeng Rubber Company, use bio-based itaconate rubber created through the fermentation and molecular restructuring of corncobs. Each metric ton of this type of rubber reduces carbon emissions by an estimated 1.4 metric tons.

The breakthrough was led by a team under Zhang Liqun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, with an investment of over 80 million yuan ($11 million). Building on this success, Wang Zhou, general manager of Kunpeng Rubber, said he believes eco-friendly products such as these boots hold strong potential in the international market.

The first batch of 3,000 pairs of boots rolled off the production line just a week before the conference and were given as gifts to delegates. On the opening day, 500 pairs were distributed, with attendees from Bhutan, Thailand, and Vietnam expressing keen interest in business collaboration.

The conference attracted about 4,000 delegates from more than 150 countries and regions, making it one of the broadest gatherings of UNESCO member states to date.

Professor Wang Zhao of South China University of Technology said that the conference provided a key platform for Chinese environmental technologies to reach the world, making contributions to global sustainability.

Wang Zhou shows a pair of corncob rain boots. [Photo/Tide News]