Schwalbe commits to making 70% of range with recycled tyres

The tyre sector has been a focal point for pushing the green conversation along in the cycling industry. Schwalbe, producer of the Green Marathon – reportedly the world’s first tyre made partially with recycle tyres – has upped the ante and vowed that 70% of all Schwalbe tyres will be made with recycled carbon black (rcB). As for the remainder 30% of the range, Schwalbe said “research is continuing” to push that recycled proportion higher.

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 CSR at Schwalbe, said: “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 tires. 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. This is not yet possible without compromising on quality, said Schwalbe, adding that its work is therefore not over: “For the remaining tyres in the Schwalbe range, where rCB use is not yet possible, intensive research is continuing.”

While cycle/end consumers are not directly aware of the use of rCB, with neither the design and application nor the price of the tyres changing as a result of its use, the circular economy and therefore the environment are benefitting. 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 – CIN’s UK homeland has a large number of dealers who are already working as tyre recyclers with Schwalbe.

In case you were wondering, that 70% of all Schwalbe tyres being made with recycled carbon black includes the Pick Up, Green Marathon, Tacky Chan, G-ONE RX and Pro One models.