Rubber Killer
Extension of product lifespan
THAÏLANDE
Web: rubberkiller.com/
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Sector: Manufacture – Transformation, Sales and services, End of life
Date of creation: 2010
Date of analysis: June 2019
Upcycling old rubber tires.
overview
Rubber Killer is a project we met in Thailand transforming trash rubber into brand new clothes and items.
Have you ever wondered what happened to tires once their duty is over ? Well, until a few years ago, not much. They were just gathered in landfills, if not burnt – releasing toxic gases. It represents big waste of natural resources, as 44% of the rubber used in conventional cars is natural rubber and 75% is for trucks. Some efforts have been made to recycle them, but with a global production forecasted to reach 2,7 billions units in 2022 (source : Smithers Rapra), new solutions must be found, and Rubber Killer may give it a help.
Founded in 2010, the society reuses the inner tube from discarded tires. They select and wash appropriate parts of rubber waste, then use it to make various items, such as bags or shoes. Rubber Killer has, since its creation, reused more than 30000 inner tubes, to create unique Thailand-made products.
The initiative has drawn attention, since it has been awarded in 2015 “Best Green Innovation” by the Thai Prime Minister himself.
If you ever visit Thailand, and are looking for an original, green and local-made gift, don’t hesitate to give it a try !
