Schwalbe converts 70% of its range to circular tyres

One year after the launch of the Green Marathon, the world’s first tyre made partly from used tyres, Schwalbe is converting large parts of its range to circular tyres.

From now on, 70% of all Schwalbe tyres will be made with recycled carbon black (rCB).

The rCB is a direct product of the Schwalbe recycling system and replaces 100% fossil-based carbon black.

In this way, 80% CO₂eq is saved.

The rCB comes directly from Pyrum Innovations AG, the company where the actual recycling process takes place in Saarland.

Felix Jahn, head of corporate social responsibility, commented: “This is another milestone on our path of ecological responsibility.

“Through intensive research and development work, we have succeeded in switching to the use of rCB without having to compromise on the quality and performance of the tyres. This is always our top priority when using recycled materials.”

Thanks to the widespread use of rCB, Schwalbe’s high-end tyres for road bikes, gravel bikes, mountain bikes as well as city and cargo bikes are now also becoming circular tyres.

Only tyres with the Addix Ultra Soft rubber compound and Active Line tyres do not yet use rCB. Schwalbe says this is not yet possible without compromising on quality.

For the remaining tyres in the Schwalbe range, where rCB use is not yet possible, research is continuing.

End consumers are not directly aware of the use of rCB, as neither the design and application nor the price of the tyres change as a result.

Nevertheless, the circular economy and therefore the environment benefit from their purchase decision.

The Schwalbe Recycling System had already recycled 940,000 tyres by the end of April.

Used tyres can be returned to more than 1,800 participating specialist dealers in Germany.

Schwalbe is currently working on expanding the recycling process to other countries.