Njengento ebalulekile ebalulekile embonini yezicathulo, ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali okunamathelayo kwezicathulo kuthinta ngokuqondile ikhwalithi, ukuqina, nokusebenza kwemvelo kwemikhiqizo yezicathulo. Ngokukhula okuqhubekayo kochungechunge lwemboni yezicathulo yomhlaba wonke, ukuqonda izici zamakhemikhali zokunamathisela izicathulo kanye nendima yazo ekuhwebeni kwamazwe ngamazwe kubalulekile kubo bobabili abahlinzeki nabathengi.
Izingxenye zamakhemikhali eziyinhloko zokunamathisela izicathulo ngokuvamile zihlanganisa ama-synthetic resins, ama-solvents, ama-ejenti okwelapha, nezithasiselo. Ama-synthetic resins ayingxenye eyinhloko yezinto ezinamathelayo, ezinezibonelo ezivamile ezihlanganisa i-polyurethane (PU), irabha ye-chloroprene (CR), ama-acrylates (AC), ne-ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). Izinamatheliso ze-polyurethane zisetshenziswa kakhulu ezicathulweni eziphezulu-njengezicathulo ze-athletic nezicathulo zesikhumba ngenxa yokuguquguquka kwazo okuhle kakhulu nokumelana namanzi. I-Neoprene adhesives, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ivame ukusetshenziswa ekukhiqizeni izicathulo zesikhumba nezangaphandle ngenxa yokunamathela okuqinile nokumelana nokushisa.
Izincibilikisi ezinamathele ezicathulweni zilawula i-viscosity futhi zikhuthaze ukungena. Izinyibilikisi ezivamile ze-organic zihlanganisa i-toluene, i-methyl ethyl ketone, ne-ethyl acetate. Kodwa-ke, ngenxa yemithetho eqinile yezemvelo, abakhiqizi bezicathulo abaningi baphendukela emanzini-okunamathelayo okusekelwe emanzini noma ukwakheka okuphansi-kwe-VOC (i-volatile organic compound) ukuze bathobele izindinganiso zamazwe ngamazwe zezemvelo, njenge-EU's REACH regulation kanye nezimfuneko ze-US EPA.
Ama-ejenti okwelapha nezithasiselo asetshenziselwa ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kokunamathelayo, njengokuthuthukisa amandla ebhondi, ukusheshisa ukwelashwa, noma ukuqinisa ukumelana nesimo sezulu. Ama-ejenti okwelapha asetshenziswa ngokuvamile ahlanganisa ama-isocyanate nama-amines, kuyilapho izithasiselo zingase zihlanganise ama-fillers, ama-plasticizers, nama-antioxidants ukuze ahlangabezane nezidingo zokubopha izinto ezihlukahlukene zezicathulo.
Emakethe yezohwebo yamazwe ngamazwe, ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali okunamathelayo kwezicathulo kuthinta ngokuqondile ukuthobela umkhiqizo kanye nokuncintisana. Abathengi baya ngokuya bekhathazeka mayelana nokusebenza kwemvelo, ukuphepha, kanye nokusebenza kwezinto ezinamathelayo, ezidinga abahlinzeki ukuthi banikeze izixazululo ezihlangabezana nezindinganiso zamazwe ngamazwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokushintsha kwemboni yezicathulo iye eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia naseNingizimu Asia, isidingo sohwebo samazwe ngamazwe sezinto zokunamathisela izicathulo siyaqhubeka sikhula. Abahlinzeki kufanele baqaphe ngokucophelela izinguquko ezimisweni zamakhemikhali zomhlaba wonke ukuze baqinisekise ukufinyelela komkhiqizo okushelelayo ezimakethe eziqondiwe.
Ngamafuphi, ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali okunamathelayo kwezicathulo akunqumi kuphela ukusebenza kwazo kodwa futhi kunomthelela ukufaneleka kwazo ekuhwebeni komhlaba. Ukuqonda lezi zithako kanye nokuthambekela kwazo ezimakethe kungasiza izinkampani ukuthi zithuthukise uchungechunge lwazo lokuhlinzeka futhi zithuthukise ukuncintisana kwazo kwamanye amazwe.