Schwalbe is one of the best-known brands for bicycle tyres and inner tubes and stands for quality, innovation and sustainability on two wheels. Since 1973, Schwalbe has focused exclusively on developing and producing tyres and tubes for bicycles, offering suitable solutions for MTB, road, gravel, trekking, city and e-bikes. Schwalbe tyres impress with puncture protection, grip, durability and high reliability on a wide range of surfaces. At the same time, the brand is committed to making bicycle tyres more durable and resource-efficient. With product development based in Reichshof near Cologne, Schwalbe combines technical expertise with a genuine passion for cycling and creates products You can rely on - from everyday rides to the toughest race conditions.
items
Our Schwalbe highlights
Sustainability
SCHWALBE Tyre recycling
Schwalbe, as the world's leading manufacturer of bicycle tyres, uniquely takes responsibility for the return and recycling of used bicycle tyres of various brands. The carefully thought-out closed-loop system is characterised by a proactive promotion of energy and resource conservation and brings about a remarkable reduction of 80% in CO2 emissions. This holistic recycling initiative received the prestigious Eurobike Innovators Prize award.
The challenges of collecting, recycling and reusing used tyres are much more complex at Schwalbe than in the case of inner tubes. This system is based on many years of research and a well thought-out logistics concept to successfully initiate the entire process. In order to cover the continuous costs of the tyre recycling process (non-profit), Schwalbe charges dealers a fee for collecting the tyre containers. At the same time, dealers are free to charge an appropriate contribution from their customers for dropping off used tyres.
The recycling process
1. Collection
Used bicycle tyres are collected at participating dealers and prepared for recycling.
(A fee is usually charged when the used tyres are handed in.)
2. Transport
From there, the tyres are sent to the recycling partner Pyrum Innovations, where the actual recycling process begins.
3. Processing
The used tyres are shredded and separated into individual materials such as steel, textile and rubber.
4. Pyrum Thermolysis
The rubber granulate is converted into valuable secondary raw materials, including recovered Carbon Black (rCB).
5. New use
The recovered secondary raw materials are fed back into new Schwalbe products and made usable again.
SCHWALBE TUBE RECYCLING
100% RECYCLABLE
All Schwalbe inner tubes can be completely recycled. The butyl rubber reclaimed from these recycled inner tubes can be used for producing new inner tubes without any negative effects on their quality.
RAW MATERIAL
Recyclability is an excellent quality of all Schwalbe inner tubes. The butyl rubber reclaimed from recycled inner tubes can be used for producing new inner tubes without negatively affecting the quality in the slightest.
PROCESSING
In the Schwalbe factory in Indonesia, the specially developed devulcanization technology was established to efficiently reclaim the butyl rubber. This innovative method has been used very successfully for many years.
80% LESS ENERGY CONSUMPTION
The energy balance of this recycling process is extremely positive when all transport routes are considered. Compared to producing the same amount of new butyl rubber, a remarkable energy saving of 80% is achieved.
THE NEW INNER TUBE
Every conventional Schwalbe inner tube already consists of about 20% of recycled raw materials. Schwalbe continues striving to increase this percentage of reused materials without negatively affecting the quality of the new inner tube.
