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Nokian Tyres Betula Concept Tire Uses Birch Bark-Based Material
The concept tire integrates a birch bark-derived raw material into the tread, raising renewable and recycled content to 93%.
www.nokiantyres.com
Nokian Tyres has introduced the Nokian Tyres Betula concept tire featuring a novel raw material derived from birch bark. The renewable material is developed by Reselo and is produced using residue streams from the global pulp, paper, and plywood industries.
The Betula concept tire marks the first time this birch bark–based material has been incorporated into a tire. It is used in the tread compound, increasing the share of renewable and recycled materials in the tread to 93% of the total material content.
Reselo's raw material made from birch bark
The material is primarily intended to enhance performance rather than serve solely as a sustainability component. The concept tire uses the tread design of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 non-studded winter tire and has undergone testing at Nokian Tyres’ test centers in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland, and in Nokia, Finland. According to the company, testing results have been promising.
The Betula concept tire supports Nokian Tyres’ long-term target of increasing the share of renewable and recycled materials in its tires to 50% by 2030. The company emphasizes that progress toward this goal relies on collaboration with material technology partners.
The cooperation between Nokian Tyres and Reselo began in 2023, when Reselo won Nokian Tyres’ FAST RACE BIG CHANGE sustainable tire innovation challenge. In 2024, the companies signed a development agreement to further advance the renewable material for tire applications, with joint development continuing following the launch of the concept tire.
Concept tires play a central role in Nokian Tyres’ product development strategy, enabling the evaluation of new materials, technologies, and design concepts prior to commercial production. Previous examples include the Nokian Tyres Green Step concept tire introduced in 2022 and the Green Step Ligna concept launched in 2024, which featured a lignin-based alternative to conventional carbon black. In 2025, Nokian Tyres introduced the Seasonproof 2 all-season tire for the Central European market, incorporating up to 38% renewable and recycled materials in commercial production.
www.nokiantyres.com
