Spectrum: The German Sustainability Award, which has been awarded since 2008, is the largest of its kind in Europe with nine competitions. With its innovative hose recycling, Schwalbe has now won the 1st German Sustainability Award for Design in the “Pioneer” category. The award honors the closed product cycle and the coherent process design of the recycling system.
According to its own statements, the tire manufacturer Schwalbe, based in Reichshof-Wehnrath, has meanwhile recycled more than five million inner tubes as part of its inner tube recycling program. The return of old hoses has now been extended to the Netherlands, Belgium and Great Britain, with other countries to follow. Participation in the program is free of charge for retailers. A system that obviously works well: all Schwalbe hoses are now said to consist of up to 20 percent recycled old hoses. The old hoses are completely reused for this purpose, and no waste should be produced in the process. As a pioneer in this area, Schwalbe has now received the first German Sustainability Award for Design in the “Pioneer” category. The prize was awarded on December 3, 2020 at the Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf. The honorary award winners Elton John, US futurologist Jeremy Rifkin and the musicians Joy Denalane and Jack Johnson were also present at the hybrid event.
“As representatives of an industry that offers products for 'green' mobility, we see it as our duty to act sustainably ourselves. More projects and products will follow!” – Frank Bohle, Managing Partner of Schwalbe