Press release
Nokian Tyres Betula concept tire features raw material made from residue birch bark
Nokian Tyres plc Press Release January 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. EET
Nokian Tyres launches the Nokian Tyres Betula concept tire containing groundbreaking raw material made from birch bark. The renewable material by Swedish company Reselo utilizes the residue of the global pulp, paper and plywood industry.
The Nokian Tyres Betula represents the first time the material has been used in a tire. The material is included in the tread compound of the concept tire, bringing the amount of renewable and recycled material content to 93% of all materials used on the tread.
The new material is seen primarily as a performance-enhancing addition. The concept tire, that has the tread design of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 non-studded winter tire, has been tested in the Nokian Tyres test centers in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland as well as in Nokia, Finland with promising results.
“Since the early stages, the potential of the material to be used in tires has been evident. The Nokian Tyres Betula concept tire confirms its applicability and highlights the material’s potential for commercial use in the future. Furthermore, the material is not only sustainable but according to our testing it also shows promise to improve tire performance,” says Teemu Soini, Vice President, Innovations & Development from Nokian Tyres.
The Nokian Tyres Betula concept tire represents a significant step toward Nokian Tyres’ goal to increase the share of recycled and renewable materials in tires to 50% by 2030. By pioneering sustainable solutions, Nokian Tyres seeks to set new benchmarks for environmental responsibility across the tire industry. Achieving this ambition depends on strong partnerships, such as the collaboration with Reselo.
“For Reselo, this partnership represents much more than a technical development project. The tire industry’s sheer scale and traditionally conservative approach make it a challenging but vital space for rubber innovation and seeing the collaboration with Nokian Tyres continue to the next level is something we’re especially proud of. Birch bark is a high-volume forestry side-stream abundant in the Nordics, and step by step we are working together towards better-performing and more sustainable products with circularity at the core,” says Josefin Larsson, CEO from Reselo.
The cooperation between Nokian Tyres and Reselo started already in 2023, when the biomaterial science company won Nokian Tyres’ FAST RACE BIG CHANGE sustainable tire innovation challenge. In 2024, Nokian Tyres signed a development agreement with Reselo to further develop their renewable material for tire production. The development project continues together with Reselo after the launch of the concept tire.
Concept tires are an important part of product development enabling testing of new materials, technologies and design ideas before commercial production. In 2022, Nokian Tyres introduced the Nokian Tyres Green Step concept tire with its ambitious design consisting of 93% of all the materials used either recycled or renewable, and in 2024 the company launched the Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna containing a renewable lignin-based alternative for traditional carbon black. The Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2 all-season tire launched in 2025 for the Central European market has the highest share of renewable and recycled materials in commercial production by Nokian Tyres with up to 38%.
Further information:
Nokian Tyres' purpose is to make the world safer by reinventing tires, and how they are made, over and over again - a safer place to drive, work and live now and for generations to come. Inspired by our northern heritage, we develop and manufacture premium tires for passenger cars, trucks and heavy machinery with sustainability at the heart of all our operations. Our Vianor chain provides tire and car services. We are some 3,800 people with net sales of EUR 1.3 billion in 2024, and together we lead the journey to smarter driving for people and for businesses. Nokian Tyres is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. Further information: company.nokiantyres.com, www.nokiantyres.com
Reselo’s goal is to create real climate impact through material innovation, deep collaboration and strong partnerships that accelerate the shift from fossil-derived to bio-based materials. Based in Sweden and inspired by our Nordic heritage and deep connection to the forest, we have developed Reselo Rubber – a fossil-free, high-performance material made from birch bark, a renewable side-stream from the forestry industry. Born from research at the Wallenberg Wood Science Center at KTH, our patented technology supports the shift towards renewable materials without compromising functionality or design. Reselo is a growing scale-up with a dedicated team of around seven people, working closely with partners across industries such as tires, automotive and footwear to drive innovation where sustainability and performance go hand in hand. Further information: www.reselo.se
