Hankook’s Collaborative Effort To Help Lessen Tyre Waste Generation

In an effort to make the world sustainable, Hankook Tire has collaborated with shoe brand YASE to launch eco-friendly shoes made of recycled tyres.Together, they have got on board the ‘Zero – Leave Nothing Behind’ project which aims to upcycle ELTs to make sustainable shoe products. 

Hankook Tire has always been at the forefront of sustainable practices with having set goals such as achieving 100 percent of sustainable raw material use by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent compared to that of 2018. These initiatives also extend to R&D where the tyre maker has minimised the rolling resistance of its tyres to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company also established an ESG committee to further strengthen its sustainability management efforts. 

Jimmy Kwon, Vice President of Hankook Tire’s Brand Lab, talks to Rajni Jose from Tyre Trends about this collaborative effort.

Q) What are the purpose and goals associated with this collaboration?

Jimmy Kwon: Hankook Tire and YASE embarked on the ‘Zero – Leave Nothing Behind’ project with a commitment to sustainable materials and environmental protection. As sustainability is a core value and key agenda for us, we have taken the topic of tyre recycling as one of the top agendas each year. We are glad to make good use of recycled tyres by turning them into hard-wearing and robust shoes in collaboration with YASE. We also believe this collaboration will offer the MZ generation, who have not had an opportunity to use tyres yet, a chance to experience Hankook Tire since a pair of shoes is a necessity that people use on a daily basis.

Q) What role does Hankook play in this collaboration? What are the processes involved in the upcycling of used tyres into shoes? 

Jimmy Kwon: Hankook Tire will collect discarded tyres and extract rubber from them to pulverise rubber into a powder so that it can be processed into the outsole. Regarding the processes, upcycling itself benefits the environment as it minimises the volume of discarded materials and waste dumped into the landfills. It also reduces the need for production using new or raw materials, which leads to a reduction in air pollution, water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Q) Is the company looking to produce products other than shoes?

Jimmy Kwon: Currently, Hankook Tire is focusing mainly on footwear in terms of collaboration items as both tyres and shoes share common traits of playing a crucial role in mobility and touching the ground on a daily basis. They also protect people from possible dangers on the road with durability and stability.

Q) What are the other materials used to make these shoes?

Jimmy Kwon: The upper part of the shoes is made of synthetic vegan leather, whereas the insole is made of OrthoLite and natural latex. 

Q) By upcycling used tyres, how much carbon emissions do we save?

Jimmy Kwon: For this collaboration, we have recycled 50 used tyres to manufacture 2,000 pairs of shoes in total. According to the Korea National Institute of Forest Science, 2.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions is reduced by recycling 50 used tyres which weigh approximately 1.5 tonnes. This is equivalent to planting 425 pine trees. Likewise, around 1.9 kg of carbon dioxide emissions is reduced per kg of tyres recycled. This is not a small amount as a 20-year-old tree consumes 6.7 kg of carbon dioxide emission.

Q)  Does the company have a take-back policy? If not, how can the shoes be disposed of sustainably after use?

Jimmy Kwon: We do not have a related policy so far, but our decision to embark on the project of launching upcycling footwear displays our deep sense of care and commitment towards sustainability and environmental protection. It is thrilling that we are giving consumers an option to choose eco-friendly footwear. Shoes made of our old tyres will not only make a positive social impact but will also be hard-wearing and robust as our tyres are developed with high-quality materials and cutting-edge technologies.

Q) Currently, other brands offering shoes made from upcycled used tyres have priced their products higher than regular shoes. How does the company plan to price the products so that customers prefer this sustainable alternative over regular shoes?

Jimmy Kwon: The collaboration items are not specifically priced high compared to regular shoes sold by YASE. For example, a pair of Hankook Tire x YASE Chelsea boots are priced at KRW 102,000 (USD 86) while a pair of existing 506 5CM Chelsea boots are KRW 98,000 (USD 83). It is 4 percent more expensive, but the prices are different only because their designs are different. Hankook Tire is trying to provide customers with excellent quality products at a reasonable price whether they be tyres or shoes.

Q) What are the marketing strategies adopted to attract customers?

Jimmy Kwon: Not only the shoes themselves but the packaging is designed with sustainability initiative as well. Shoeboxes, tags and pamphlets are made of 100 percent sugarcane material. Hankook Tire expects this will resonate with customers who are early adopters and are conscious about the environment. In addition, we have chosen an online fashion retailer that is popular among the MZ generation as a sales channel in Korea since we have found that this generation is especially environment-conscious and keen to making green purchase decisions.

Q) Where will these be produced?

Jimmy Kwon: These eco-friendly shoes are produced in Korea where the YASE factory is located. 

Q) Is the company looking into exports? 

Jimmy Kwon: Although we are not considering shipping overseas or exports at the moment, we would like to proceed in the future when there is an opportunity.

Q)  What are the further expansion plans of the range?

Jimmy Kwon: Currently, we have unveiled five products through collaboration: four dress shoes and one comfort insole. We plan to continue collaboration with YASE to add special edition running shoes in October. 

Q)  What future do you see for upcycled used tyre products in the fashion industry?

Jimmy Kwon: Consumers are getting more and more conscious of the damaging effects of wastes, which explains why upcycling is becoming increasingly popular in the fashion industry. A tyre is a good resource for upcycling since tyres, especially the ones developed with Hankook’s high-quality materials and cutting-edge technologies, are durable and robust. We believe it’s a kind of collaboration that leads to mutually inspired progressive innovation for both industries and that there can be many opportunities forward. It’s a great way to widen customers’ eco-friendly options and to give old tyres a second life.(TT)

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Tegeta Green Planet and Shine Energy, both affiliated with Tegeta Holding, have launched a joint educational initiative to raise environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility among young people. The project addresses modern challenges such as environmental protection and sustainable development.

Company representatives are visiting schools across Tbilisi to hold informational meetings, presentations and workshops. The programme begins with presentations, followed by interactive games and activities designed to help students retain the information. At the end of each session, participants receive symbolic gifts and prizes as motivation.

Tegeta Green Planet focuses on teaching students the principles of specific waste management, including how to properly handle used tyres, batteries and oils. The sessions explain why proper waste management is essential for environmental protection and how it connects to the circular economy. Meanwhile, Shine Energy educates young people on the importance of energy, its everyday use and why developing renewable and sustainable energy resources is crucial.

The initiative is not limited to schools. In the near future, both organisations will expand their efforts to universities, aiming to broaden awareness about environmental protection, waste management and energy efficiency. The ultimate goal is to foster environmentally responsible attitudes among the younger generation, helping build a more sustainable and conscious society.

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Zeon has been recognised as a Supplier Engagement Leader in the 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) conducted by CDP, a United Kingdom-based international environmental nonprofit organisation. This achievement represents the first time the company has received the highest possible rating in this assessment.

The evaluation measures how corporations address climate change within their supply chains, focusing on responses to the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire across five critical areas. These include governance, emissions targets, Scope 3 emissions management, risk management and overall supplier engagement strategies.

Zeon earned the top rating for its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through supplier collaboration, a group-wide initiative, alongside continuous dialogue maintained via procurement activities. Guided by its philosophy of contributing to planetary preservation and human prosperity, Zeon remains committed to sustainable management. The company reaffirmed that it will continue working with suppliers and other stakeholders to tackle climate change and meet societal expectations.

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German chemical group WACKER has announced a price increase of up to 15 percent for its resins, dispersions and dispersible polymer powders produced at its European and US facilities. The adjustment takes effect on 1 June 2026, or as existing customer contracts permit. The move is designed to allow the company’s Polymers division to maintain high product quality, deliver technological innovations and provide superior customer service and technical support. It will also support investments aimed at securing future growth in key markets.

Rising costs for raw materials and logistics have forced the pricing measure, with the Polymers division being particularly affected. The recent conflict in the Middle East has caused significant disruptions across global commodity markets. As a direct result, prices for energy, raw materials and transportation have climbed sharply.

Despite the increase, WACKER remains focused on sustaining its commitment to customer support and long-term capability. The company underscored that the adjustment is necessary to continue meeting market demands while ensuring operational stability and future-oriented development across its focus markets.

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Pirelli North America has launched its first closed-loop circular recycling initiative, marking a significant step in the company’s broader strategy to increase recycled and bio‑based content in its tyre production. The project has received the Tire Recycling Foundation’s Value Chain Collaboration Award.

The programme recovers scrap tyres generated during Pirelli’s own North American manufacturing process. These materials are sent to Bolder Industries, which applies ISCC PLUS‑certified pyrolysis technology to produce BolderBlack recovered carbon black. Pirelli then reintroduces this material into new tyre production at its North American facilities, partially replacing virgin carbon black. The effort is part of a wider Pirelli plan to expand such industrial ecosystems across the group’s production network, aiming to valorise waste by reintegrating recovered materials into tyre manufacturing.

Beyond the award, the initiative reflects Pirelli’s broader circularity approach, which includes ongoing work to boost recycled and bio‑based material usage. The company targets over 80 percent bio‑based and recycled content in its best‑performing products and forty percent in total production by 2030.

Claudio Zanardo, CEO, Pirelli North America, said, "The Rome plant is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing facilities in Pirelli. This initiative reflects an approach focused on increasing the use of recovered materials within existing production processes. It is part of a broader effort to gradually integrate raw materials derived from recycled resources into our products while maintaining consistency in performance and quality."

Tony Wibbeler, CEO, Bolder Industries, said, "Our collaboration demonstrates that a traceable, mass-balance approach to tyre-to-tyre circularity is not only achievable, but it's ready to scale inside a premium manufacturing environment, meeting real performance and certification requirements at every step. This is the kind of progress the industry has been working toward for many years."

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