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
Explain rather than discard
Our packaging is currently being converted step by step to meet the new requirements. This means that packaging with older wording may still be on sale after 27 September.
Important: this does not change the underlying product properties or evidence. Our claims were already based on sound technical foundations. The changes mainly concern individual wordings and how they are framed, which are being adapted to the new, more specific requirements.
For such existing stock, the European consumer protection authorities have published a common position. It provides for a pragmatic and proportionate approach to goods that have already been produced, ordered or delivered. That is why, among other things, we are updating our digital product texts and transparently putting older wording into context on our EmpCo information page and in our POS material.
We provide our retail partners with the information material they need for the sales floor, so you will find the explanations right where the products are. This approach is in line with the European Commission's guidance on the EmpCo Directive and the common interpretation of the European consumer protection network on the handling of 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 targets for climate and the material cycle. Under the new EU requirements, we communicate such targets only together with a publicly accessible, verifiable implementation plan – with measurable interim targets, allocated resources and responsibilities.
We will publish these plans on 4 November 2026 together with our CSR Magazine 2025/2026. Both plans will be reviewed beforehand by our statutory auditor with limited assurance; the assurance report will appear here on the same day.
Our climate targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030 compared with 2018, and net-zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2040. The validation can be viewed publicly on the SBTi Target Dashboard. We will publish the transition plan with the target pathway and measures up to 2030 on 4 November.
We take back used tyres and tubes and pass the materials on for recovery – around 20.8 million units by mid-2026. We will publish our target for 2030 and the path to get there on 4 November in the material cycle transition plan.
We are working on further topics with a longer horizon. For these, we are first developing the methods with which impact can be reliably measured. 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