Are Tyres Vegan? Here’s All You Need To Know

If your vegan lifestyle involves more than just eating animal-free, then you’ve probably been tempted to take a closer look at everyday items like your clothing and beauty products. But it may not occur to most people to think about things like vehicle tyres.

Surprisingly, tyres are not vegan – at least, that goes for traditional tyres. While tyres are made of rubber (which is vegan), synthetic rubber tyres are made using stearic acid. This makes them both durable and flexible, but it involves the use of animal products. 

Below, we’ll look at why so many tyres are technically non-vegan and what alternatives may be available for those committed to a cruelty-free lifestyle.

Why are Traditional Tyres Not Vegan?

When breaking down the manufacturing process of tyres, one ingredient stands out as problematic from a vegan standpoint: stearic acid.

Stearic acid is a waxy substance used in tire production to help the rubber hold its shape under surface friction.

Stearic acid can be derived from plant sources such as cocoa and shea butter, but the stearic acid used in tire production is primarily sourced from animal fats and oils since this is generally more cost-effective for manufacturers. About 60% of tire rubber is synthetic.

But in addition to the issue of stearic acid, the process of producing tyres also involves various adhesives and curing agents, some of which may be animal-derived.

However, it is important to note that vegan rubber tyres require the use of natural rubber from the latex of para rubber trees, most of which are in Southeast Asia.

Synthetic rubbers are sometimes seen as a sustainable alternative, although some companies, like Bridgestone, are looking into sustainable rubber planting and harvesting.

The Tire-Making Process

It’s no easy task to eliminate stearic acid from tire production.

The most convenient form of it is as a fatty acid derived from animal fats.

(Unfortunately, when it comes to tyres, companies don’t often make it clear where their stearic acid originates from, posing an obvious challenge for vegans trying to do their due diligence.)

Stearic acid is important because it’s crucial for the tire curing process. During vulcanization, which is the method of treating rubber to give qualities like strength, elasticity, and durability, stearic acid reacts with the rubber to form zinc stearate.

The zinc stearate created during this process increases the rubber’s resistance to oxidative aging and helps to ensure that the rubber compound is evenly distributed throughout the tire.

As you can see, there’s some serious science going on here that helps ensure tyres are as safe as we need them to be.

But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make a vegan tire.

Are There Vegan Tyres?

As more people become aware of the use of animal products in their everyday items, requests for cruelty-free alternatives will grow.

At some point, tire manufacturers will not be able to ignore the demand. 

Some companies already do their part to be animal product-free by using plant-derived stearic acid and replacing other non-vegan components with synthetic or plant-based alternatives. But it’s rare.

Michelin has been at the forefront of the vegan tire movement. They’ve launched a line of tyres called “Primacy,” which they confirm are 100% vegan. Primacy 4 tyres use stearic acid derived from plant sources rather than animal fats. 

The Future of Vegan Tyres

Due to growing customer inquiries, the tire industry is slowly beginning to acknowledge the need for more ethical, sustainable manufacturing processes.

And beyond the vegan issue, tire production is also coming under scrutiny for its environmental impact.

With a move towards more sustainable, less polluting practices, there’s a good chance that vegan-friendly options will become more prevalent eventually. But even vegan tyres, seat covers, steering wheel covers, gear shift covers, and other car trim are often made with leather or other materials treated with animal products.

Allied Market Research estimates that the global vegan market will be worth an eye-popping $31.4 billion by 2026. If this is the case, we can expect to see increased demand for vegan products across various sectors, tyres included.

Companies that continue to innovate and offer vegan-friendly alternatives will be better poised to cater to this burgeoning market.

However, there’s still a long way to go to make vegan tyres the norm rather than the exception. It will take increased consumer demand and commitment from manufacturers to bring about this change.

Summary

The fact that most traditional tyres are not vegan-friendly is probably surprising to many people and certainly disappointing to those who strive to live an entirely plant-based lifestyle. 

While it’s challenging to navigate a world where so many everyday items contain hidden animal-derived components, some companies are shifting towards more ethical, sustainable manufacturing practices.