Hankook, a major South Korean tyre manufacturer producing over 100 million tyres annually, is actively focusing on sustainable innovation and reducing emissions, especially in response to the growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

The company highlights that the use phase of tyres has the most significant environmental impact, with additional concerns over foam and resin materials used in EV tyres, which are heavier and require more durable compounds.

To improve energy efficiency and extend EV range, Hankook emphasizes developing stronger, more durable tyres that can handle the stress and torque of heavier EVs, aligning with their focus on sustainability.

Hankook's upcycling initiative, re:move, repurposes waste from tyre manufacturing and end-of-life tyres into consumer products such as recycled rubber shoe outsoles, longboards, and camping chair parts, demonstrating a commitment to circular economy practices.

This upcycling project collaborates with various brands to transform waste rubber into innovative products, including bio-based wheels and recycled tyre components, extending the utility of manufacturing by-products.

Through life cycle assessments (LCAs), Hankook has identified that the use phase of tyres produces the largest environmental impact and is exploring industrial techniques like metal 3D printing to reduce waste and energy consumption.

Hankook aims to reduce emissions by increasing the use of recycled and renewable materials, developing tyres with up to 81% recycled content, and striving for 100% renewable and recycled materials in future models by 2030.

The company is actively using recycled steel and silica recovered from industrial waste to produce tyres with high recycled content, supporting their goal of creating fully recyclable tyres from sustainable materials.

Hankook employs advanced manufacturing techniques like metal 3D printing for moulds, reducing waste by 60% and energy use by over 80%, supporting environmentally responsible production.

Since 2015, Hankook has used metal 3D printing to produce moulds, significantly decreasing waste and energy consumption, and integrating sustainable practices into their manufacturing processes.

Hankook's 16th ESG report (2024/25) emphasizes reuse, upcycling, and sustainable materials in tyre manufacturing to meet environmental regulations and adapt to the demands of electric mobility.

In 2024, Hankook launched the iON GT tyre for EVs, made from 77% ISCC PLUS-certified raw materials—the highest percentage of certified sustainable content in the market—alongside the iON evo with 45% sustainable content.

The company has partnered with Solvay Silica to extract silica from industrial waste and aims to scale this process by 2030, further supporting their commitment to sustainable materials.