1. What we say about our products must be provable
From 27 September 2026, new rules apply in the European Union on how companies may speak about the environmental and social characteristics of their products. We welcome these rules. They make claims comparable and make greenwashing more difficult. Companies that can substantiate their claims will benefit. We have therefore reviewed our entire product and brand communication: around 1,800 individual environmental claims, systematically ordered and legally assessed. On this page we show the result and the reasoning.
2. The new rules in four points
The EU directive on empowering consumers for the green transition (Directive (EU) 2024/825, EmpCo for short) is implemented in every EU Member State through national law on unfair commercial practices. In practice, this means four things for environmental and social claims.
Generic claims without substantiation are not permissible
Terms such as environmentally friendly, sustainable, climate-friendly, eco or fair may no longer be used in a general way. They are permissible only if the underlying performance is specifically named and substantiated.
Neutrality claims on an offsetting basis are not permissible
Anyone who advertises climate neutrality and relies on the offsetting of emissions in doing so is in breach of the new rules.
Targets need a public implementation plan
Anyone who speaks about promises for the future must disclose measurable interim steps, a timetable and the resources deployed, and have progress verified independently.
Labels must be independently verified
Self-awarded labels without external verification may no longer be used.
3. What this means for tires and tubes in the trade
Our tires and tubes do not carry environmental claims directly. These statements are found on the packaging, on hangtags and in product descriptions. We are currently updating our packaging. The new versions are being phased into distribution. Until existing stock has been sold through, packaging with older wording may still be available on the market in parallel. Nothing changes about the products. Their quality, their composition and the underlying performance are unchanged. The evidence for this was available and remains available. What is new is the legal requirement as to how this performance must be named and verified.
Explain rather than discard
We could recall every package already delivered, have it reprinted or have it covered over. We do not do so, and for the same reason that we have been taking back tires and tubes for years: material that has already been produced should not go to waste.
Subsequent relabelling would consume additional material and destroy packaging that is in perfect condition. That would run counter to precisely the aim behind the new rules. We therefore rely on explanation rather than disposal: this page and the information material in specialist retail put the statements concerned into context for as long as goods with an older packaging status are on the market. We provide our trade partners with the information material needed for this for the sales area without their having to ask and in good time. You will therefore find the notes directly where the goods are.
This approach is in line with the European Commission's explanations on the EmpCo directive and with the common understanding of the European consumer protection network on how to deal with existing stock.
4. Claim by claim
The earlier wording is shown struck through. Above it stands the present version or the reasoning why a claim is no longer used.
Part of the carbon black used in our tires is recycled carbon black (rCB). It is obtained in the Schwalbe Recyclingsystem from used tires taken back. Compared with fossil-produced carbon black, according to our life cycle assessment rCB causes around 73 per cent lower greenhouse gas emissions (GWP100).
Calculated in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, impact assessment in accordance with ISO 14067.
Previously
Through recycling we save up to 80 per cent CO2.
With fairly traded natural rubber (Fair Rubber e.V.). The fair rubber is accounted for by mass balance across the supply chain, not physically allocated to the individual tire.
Schwalbe has been a member of Fair Rubber e. V. since 2020. For every kilogram of dry rubber purchased, a premium of 50 cents is paid to the producer operations. Purchasing takes place according to the mass balance approach. In this, the purchased quantity of fairly traded natural rubber is allocated to the products for accounting purposes, without being processed separately in physical terms. In relation to our entire natural rubber purchasing, the share is 41 per cent.
Previously
Produced exclusively with Fair Rubber.
We pay a premium on every kilo of rubber.
Made with ADDIX Green, Schwalbe's rubber compound with a share of recycled carbon black (rCB) from the Schwalbe Recyclingsystem and renewable raw materials such as natural rubber and silica from rice husk ash.
Previously
ADDIX Green, the sustainable rubber compound with Fair Rubber.
Green Compound is a rubber compound made from natural rubber and recycled latex. The recyclate used comes from rubber products such as gloves and door seals.
Previously
Green Compound, rubber from renewable and recycled sources.
The GreenGuard puncture protection belt contains recycled and renewable material shares, including natural rubber and recycled latex.
Previously
GreenGuard, the environmentally friendly puncture protection made from sustainable materials.
Butyl tubes from Schwalbe are recovered as materials through our own tube recycling. The tube body and the valve go back into the material cycle separately from one another. Our standard butyl tubes contain around 20 per cent recycled butyl from this take-back system. For Aerothan tubes the claim regarding recyclability in the butyl cycle does not apply.
Previously
Fully recyclable, including the TPU valve.
Since 2018 we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions across the areas Scope 1 to 3 by 40 per cent. In addition, we participate in international climate finance and thereby make contributions to the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of the respective project countries. These contributions are an addition to our emissions reduction, not an offsetting against it. We do not derive a claim of climate neutrality from this, and we never have.
Previously
Climate-friendly. We protect the climate.
Since 2022 we have taken back and recovered over 2.4 million used tires. Recovery runs entirely via pyrolysis. The recycled carbon black obtained in the process flows back into new rubber compounds.
Previously
We close the loop completely.
Instead of a claim to uniqueness we state the years. They are provable and say more:
- Since 2015 we have been taking back bicycle tubes and returning them to the material cycle.
- Since 2020 we have been using fairly traded natural rubber from Fair Rubber e. V.
- Since 2022 we have also been taking back bicycle tires and recovering them via pyrolysis.
Previously
First and only manufacturer to use fairly traded natural rubber.
The first holistic recycling system in the bicycle industry.
For natural rubber from the Fair Rubber programme, Schwalbe pays a premium of €0.50 per kilogram to the participating cooperatives.
Previously
to deal fairly and responsibly with the people along the supply chain.
The Schwalbe Stiftung works for safe, affordable and self-determined access to mobility.
Previously
to make mobility more social and more future-proof.
Ride. Return. Repeat.
This tire is part of Schwalbe's Full Circle — our system for circular thinking. Your old tire becomes raw material, not waste. Millions of tires have been returned and recycled since 2022.
Previously
This tire is part of Schwalbe's Full Circle —
our way of circular thinking and creating positive impact.
We design products that last longer,
use fewer resources, and come back
to life through innovative recycling.
What we ride today, shapes tomorrow.
Every choice matters. Every ride counts.
Let's ride Full Circle.
General claims without specific, verifiable substantiation are no longer permissible under the new rules. They are dropped. Where there is provable performance behind them, we name it specifically, see tab "Formulated more precisely".
Previously
Environmentally friendly. Sustainable. Ecological. Green. Fairly produced.
Unsubstantiated superlatives and imprecise percentage claims about freedom from harmful substances are dropped without replacement.
Previously
Schwalbe's most environmentally friendly bicycle tire.
99 per cent free of harmful substances.
98 per cent free of harmful substances.
A blanket percentage figure for "circular materials" without differentiating by the mass balance approach is dropped.
Previously
91 per cent circular materials.
A blanket comparison figure for the CO2 footprint of the predecessor model without a disclosed calculation basis is dropped.
Previously
CO2 footprint reduced by 41 per cent compared with the predecessor.
We have set ourselves long-term targets. Under the new EU requirements we may communicate such targets only if a verifiable implementation plan is publicly accessible. Our plans contain measurable interim targets, the resources allocated and the responsibilities.
By 2040 we want to no longer send any waste material for disposal and to keep our materials fully in the cycle.
By 2040 we want to achieve Net-Zero across the entire value chain. Our climate targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) (near-term and long-term targets, base year 2018, validated 2022).
We are working on further topics with a longer horizon. There we are first developing the methods with which impact can be measured reliably at all. As soon as a field has verifiable interim targets and an implementation plan, it will be added here. We report on progress annually in our CSR magazine.
5. Legal bases and sources
- • Directive (EU) 2024/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2024 amending Directives 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU as regards empowering consumers for the green transition https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/825/oj/eng
- • FAQ of the European Commission on the EmpCo directive https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/3c257883-bb2a-4dd9-a6dc-501d587bb34f_en?filename=faq-empowerting-consumers-gtd.pdf
- • Common understanding of the CPC network on how to deal with existing stock under Directive (EU) 2024/825, June 2026 https://www.economie.gouv.fr/files/files/directions_services/dgccrf/actualites/2026/Greenwashing-Final-CPC-common-understanding-on-old-stock-situations-June-2026.pdf