Nokian Tyres has launched the Betula concept tire containing raw material made from birch bark. The renewable material made by Reselo uses the residue from the global pulp, paper and plywood industry – the Betula marks the first use of this recycled material in a tire.
The material is included in the tread compound of the concept tire, bringing the amount of renewable and recycled material content to 93% of all materials used on the tread.
The alternative sustainable material is positioned as a performance-enhancing addition. The concept tire, based on the tread design of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 non-studded winter tire, has been tested at Nokian’s facilities in Ivalo in Finnish Lapland and in Nokia, Finland.
“Since the early stages, the potential of the material to be used in tires has been evident,” said Teemu Soini, vice president of innovations and development at Nokian Tyres. “The Nokian Tyres Betula concept tire confirms its applicability and highlights the material’s potential for commercial use in the future. Furthermore, the material is not only sustainable but, according to our testing, it also shows promise to improve tire performance.”
Reselo’s CEO, Josefin Larsson, added, “For Reselo, this partnership represents much more than a technical development project. The tire industry’s sheer scale and traditionally conservative approach make it a challenging but vital space for rubber innovation. Seeing the collaboration with Nokian Tyres continue to the next level is something we’re especially proud of. Birch bark is a high-volume forestry sidestream abundant in the Nordics, and step by step we are working together toward better-performing and more sustainable products with circularity at the core.”
The collaboration between Nokian Tyres and Reselo began in 2023, when the biomaterial science company won Nokian’s Fast Race Big Change sustainable tire innovation challenge. In 2024, Nokian Tyres signed a development agreement with Reselo to advance the use of Reselo’s renewable material in tire production. The development project continues following the launch of the concept tire.
In recent news, ReTyre secures €7m to scale sustainable tire production
