CAN YOU REALLY MAKE TYRES OUT OF FLOWERS?
Post on Zeppelin-uk.com
Well…this is exactly what the tyre industry are trying to do. To reduce dependence on south-east Asian rubber trees, the industry is looking for more sustainable alternatives when it comes to creating rubber. The use of synthetic rubber is one option and one such source is the Russian dandelion, which can found on the bordering areas of China and Kyrgyzstan
The weed has a high content of natural latex and so far the tyre company, Continental, have been able to convert the flower into a material called Taraxagum. So far, the company has made a batch of prototype tyres and are currently going through testing. Early results are being reported as ‘promising’ and it is said that dandelion tyres could enter production within the next 5 to 10 years. Talk about flower power!
This is not the only case of companies looking for more sustainable alternatives to producing their products.
Adidas are about to unveil a new model of running shows that are the first mass-produced footwear created using recycled plastic recovered from the ocean. The shoe is to feature a prime knit upper made from plastic waste retrieved in clean-up operations in the Maldives and recycled polyester.
