French tubeless tyre pioneer Hutchinson has announced its first eco-tyre, the Touareg Green, an updated version of its popular Touareg gravel tyre.

In development since 2019, the Touareg Green is the culmination of years of research aimed at creating a tyre that incorporates as much recycled and bio-sourced materials as possible without compromising on performance or affordability.

Hutchinson’s goal with the Touareg Green was not to produce a showcase tyre with a high percentage of eco-materials at the expense of performance or cost-effectiveness. Instead, their aim was to develop a practical, high-performance tyre that could stand alongside the other top-tier products in Hutchinson's lineup.

The project focused on two key objectives: maintaining equivalent performance and price. The Hutchinson team found that while possible, a tyre made of 99% 'green' materials today would sacrifice performance and increase costs, creating a tyre that would fail to meet their high standards and rider expectations. This however is Hutchinson's long-term goal.

Going about the development from the ground up, the brand has achieved the objectives set out through two newly developed compounds in the Touareg Green. The first is the new revea®R Casing, composed of 90% recycled or bio-sourced materials. Second is revea®R Tread, specifically designed for the challenging demands of gravel riding, made from 64% recycled or bio-sourced materials.

The resulting tyres performance is on a par with the standard 700x40 Black Touareg, with the following significant improvements in sustainability:
• The proportion of sustainable materials used throughout the tyre has risen to 57% from 15%
• Compounds used in the tyre consist of 76% recycled or bio-sourced materials
• The Carbon Black (a key ingredient of all tyres, used as a filler to increase stiffness and durability) is entirely recycled and sourced from Europe
These claims have been verified using in-depth Life Cycle Analysis across the tyre’s entire production process. With each ingredient and process individually assessed for its environmental impact and a more sustainable alternative sought. Where possible these have been sourced locally.

The Touareg Green will be made available to all Hutchinson distributors and retailers for the same price as the standard Touareg and will feature new cardboard packaging.