Mumbai-based start-up looks to make tyres green and clean, all the while enhancing farmers’ income by converting waste cotton byproducts to biodegradable products for the rubber industry.

In a world steadily transitioning towards sustainable and environmentally conscious solutions, Indian startup Biopole is poised to revolutionise the tyre, rubber and broader automotive materials space with a breakthrough innovation that merges agritech, cleantech and chemical engineering. The company has introduced Biozone 200, a high-performance bio-based antiozonant that prevents rubber products from cracking due to ozone exposure. It is generally used in the rubber and tyre industry. On the other hand, Biovive 300 is a bio-based antioxidant that protects rubber and polymer products from oxidative degradation used in the rubber and tyre industry.

In contrast to traditionally sourced materials from petrochemical derivatives, these additives are made using sustainably sourced materials that play a crucial role in improving the durability and life of rubber products, including tyres, hoses, belts, seals, plastic and even footwear soles. The company’s new offering is derived from agricultural waste – specifically, cotton stalks.

FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTE TO HIGH-VALUE ADDITIVE

In an interaction with Tyre Trends, Mehul Patel, Technical Director, Biopole, explained the development story: “What is Biopole? We provide bio-based antioxidants and antiozonants made from plants, more specifically cotton stalks, which are agricultural waste in India. After cotton is plucked, the stem or stalk is left behind, often burnt like stubble in North India. Instead of that, we extract useful chemicals from it to manufacture our solutions.”

Interestingly, while the young start-up was started just a couple of months ago, it has already established its first manufacturing unit in Dudhapur, about 120 km north of Ahmedabad, in the heart of Gujarat’s cotton belt. It currently has an annual production capacity of 4,500 metric tonnes, with Biopole sourcing raw material from nearly 1,000 farmers across a 24-square-kilometre region.

“For these farmers, it’s waste, but for us, it’s the beginning of a high-value, eco-friendly product. And we pay them for it, so it’s a win-win,” he shared.

The company has invested INR 200-250 million over the past eight years to perfect the material and bring it to commercial scale. “More than money, it’s the time that was crucial. It took us eight years to reach a stage where we could modify the compound to be usable as a technical replacement for existing antioxidants and antiozonants,” averred Patel.

Antioxidants and antiozonants are indispensable for the rubber industry. They delay degradation caused by oxidation and ozone exposure, improving product longevity. However, their petrochemical origins are increasingly problematic in a market where regulatory and environmental considerations are paramount.

“Our product is REACH-compliant (European Union’s regulations for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), ROHS-certified (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and California Proposition 65 compliant. This is especially critical for Indian manufacturers looking to export to Europe and the US, where chemicals like 6PPD and TDQ (Trimethyl Dihydroquinoline), which are still widely used in India, are banned,” explained Patel.

Interestingly, giving an example of how Biopole is already acting as a gamechanger in the rubber industry, Patel shared that its product has already enabled one Kanpur-based footwear manufacturer to regain access to export markets after switching to Biopole’s solution.

“They were unable to export because of regulatory issues tied to traditional chemicals. After switching to our material and clearing lab tests, they are back in business and expanding their footprint to global markets,” Patel noted.

COST-EFFECTIVE SUSTAINABILITY

It is no secret that while that the topic of sustainability has been actively pursued, for any businesses to simply switch sourcing from traditional suppliers to alternative eco-friendly materials also needs to make economic sense.

This is exactly one of the USP propositions for Biopole’s antioxidants and antiozonants solution.

Cost, often a barrier to adoption in India, has been neutralised by Biopole’s approach. “While European companies are willing to pay a premium for sustainable products, Indian customers ask about price first. But our product is priced competitively. The usage level is very small, and even if our additive is slightly more expensive than traditional options, the overall impact on the rubber compound is just about INR 0.10 per kg,” said Patel.

Giving the instance of carbon black, Patel stated, “Take carbon black, for example. Its prices fluctuate between INR 95 and INR 120 per kg, which impacts the compound price by INR 0.25 to 0.40 per kilo. In our case, the delta is much smaller and we offer a sustainability advantage.”

TYRE INDUSTRY

Given that India’s tyre industry is a high-volume, slow-approval segment, Biopole has made a strategic decision to first focus on non-tyre rubber product manufacturers.

“Tyre companies typically take three to five years to approve a new additive. They also require volumes of around 150 tonnes per month. That would overwhelm our current capacity. So we are currently targeting non-tyre applications, where monthly usage is around 1-2 tonnes per customer. This allows us to onboard multiple customers and scale gradually,” he said.

But Biopole is not actually ignoring the tyre segment. “We have already initiated pilot testing with some tyre manufacturers. If even two tyre companies approve our material, our entire capacity could be absorbed. That is why we are also preparing for future expansions,” he revealed.

Expansion is very much on the horizon. Patel estimates that scaling up to 9,000 tonnes can be done within six to eight months. “Once the market demands it, we are ready to expand our capacity at the Ahmedabad plant. The process is now streamlined,” he says.

EYEING GLOBAL MARKETS

While Gujarat was the logical choice for its facility due to its raw material ecosystem, Biopole is also exploring international expansion. “We met potential partners in the US and Ivory Coast at the American Chemical Society conference. They were extremely excited. In fact, one gentleman said, ‘Come to Ivory Coast, we’ll provide you land and cotton stalks’,” he shared.

Responding to a query if the company is open to partnerships and contract manufacturing with local stakeholders investing in infrastructure and sourcing. Patel shared that for Biopole nothing is off the tables: “We’re open to partnerships as long as it makes commercial sense.”

R&D

For Elastochemie, which has been traditionally a trading company, the journey for Biopole has been supported by a seven-member in-house R&D team, backed by collaborations with research institutions and external labs.

In addition to its current offerings, Patel revealed that Biopole “has already started working on two new products for the rubber industry, including retarders. We expect these to launch by FY2026.”

The company is also experimenting with product variations that would allow its additive to be used in coloured rubber and plastics. “Our material is naturally brown, which limits use in applications requiring bright or white colours. We are modifying it to work with those too,” he shared.

Though formally incorporated just five months ago in 2025, Biopole has global ambition and market-ready credibility. “Biopole will have its own balance sheet, and yes, it will be profitable as a standalone entity,” shared Patel.

While Elastochemie remains a trading business, Biopole’s manufacturing arm marks a strategic leap. “Trading companies don’t usually do R&D. But we wanted to build something different. Something IP-led, something that creates real change,” he stated.

As a first-of-its-kind material globally, Biopole is claimed to have no direct competition at present. He gives the anecdote of being a zero-emission vehicle in a petrol and diesel market.

“We’re not worried about competition yet, because there’s no one else doing exactly this. Our product changes the game. And for our customers, it ticks multiple boxes – regulatory, sustainability and now, affordability too,” he shared.

GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION & FUTURE PLANS

Responding to a query on whether the company could be impacted due to the global geopolitical situation and trade disruptions, he shared that India is estimated as a whole consumes over two million tonnes of rubber annually, with tyre makers accounting for 57 percent of demand. The remaining 43 percent, or 850,000 tonnes, is used in non-tyre applications. “Even if we capture three percent of that, we are talking significant volumes,” Patel shared.

He also noted that Biopole is relatively insulated from global geopolitical shocks. “We are too small to be impacted by the global supply chain disruptions. Even if we don’t export, the Indian market alone is more than enough for our immediate growth trajectory,” he said.

That said, global expansion remains attractive for the premium it offers. “US and European companies approve faster and are willing to pay more for sustainability,” Patel added.

It is quite evident that Biopole’s under the wrap development of the bio-based antiozonant and antioxidant products over the last eight years has a strategic plan to support its future narrative.

Patel shared that in the near-to-mid-term the company aims to establish its product firmly in India, US and Europe market. The company will launch at least two new rubber additives including Bioguard 400, a bio-based scorch retarded that controls vulcanisation and prevents premature curing for the rubber and tyre industry. It will also develop versions of the additive suitable for coloured plastics and rubber applications. And finally, Biopole will further scale manufacturing capacity based on traction from tyre manufacturers.

In an industry often dominated by legacy chemicals and slow-moving incumbents, Biopole’s innovative approach may well be a tipping point.

“We are not just offering a product,” concluded Patel. “We are offering a shift in thinking. A biodegradable, sustainable, regulatory-compliant material that solves real industry pain points. That’s the future – and we’re building it from waste.”

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As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks expand globally, the tyre industry is undergoing a structural transformation. Collection systems are improving, traceability is increasing and investments in recycling technologies are accelerating. However, one critical tension remains insufficiently addressed: the speed of industry evolution is outpacing the agility of public policy. And within that gap, one key question emerges: where does retreading fit in this new circular economy architecture?

A STRUCTURAL PARADOX

Retreading represents one of the most efficient forms of resource optimisation in the tyre lifecycle. It extends product life, reduces raw material consumption and lowers emissions. Yet, in many regulatory frameworks, it is still treated ambiguously – often grouped with recycling rather than recognised as prevention or preparation for reuse. This distinction is not semantic. It is strategic. Because when policy fails to differentiate, markets fail to prioritise.

A FAST-MOVING INDUSTRY, A SLOW-MOVING FRAMEWORK

The tyre market is evolving in real time:

1. Increasing penetration of low-cost imports.
2. Growing variability in product quality.
3. Accelerated turnover cycles.

Retreading, in this context, becomes more than a circular solution. It becomes a filter of industrial quality. Not all tyres are equally retreadable. And that difference defines their real contribution to circularity. Yet most EPR systems continue to operate with uniform economic signals, failing to distinguish between products that enable multiple lifecycles and those that exit the system after a single use.

SIGNALS FROM EUROPE

Recent developments in countries like Portugal – where eco-fees applied to retreaded tyres approach those of low-cost, non-differentiated new tyres – highlight a concerning trend. Similarly, in Spain, industry representatives continue to advocate for a clearer institutional recognition of retreading within EPR systems. These cases illustrate a broader issue: circular policies can unintentionally undermine higher-value circular strategies.

THE MISSING LINK: PERFORMANCE-BASED POLICY

What is missing is not regulation. It is regulatory precision. EPR systems have successfully organised waste flows. But they have not yet evolved to reward performance within the lifecycle. This is where eco-modulation becomes critical.

ECO-MODULATION AS A STRATEGIC LEVER

Eco-modulation should not be a marginal adjustment. It should be a core industrial policy tool. Properly designed, it can:

• Differentiate tyres based on real circular
• performance.
• Incentivise durability and retreadability.
• Penalise short-lifecycle, non-recoverable products.
• Align market behaviour with system objectives.
• To operationalise this, we need new metrics.

FROM COMPLIANCE TO PERFORMANCE: A PROPOSED FRAMEWORK

The next step for EPR systems is to move towards performance-based differentiation. This could be implemented through instruments such as:

• Retreadability Index (RI)
• Performance Score (CPS)

These would measure:

• Number of effective retreading cycles per tyre.
• Structural durability and casing quality.
• Real contribution to lifecycle extension.

Under such a system:

• Tyres with higher retreadability would receive lower eco-fees.
• Products that systematically fail to re-enter the cycle
• would face higher costs.
• This is not just a technical refinement. It is a shift from:
• Generic compliance.
• To intelligent market shaping.

THE LATIN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

In Latin America, the stakes are even higher.

The region faces:

• Structural dependence on imported tyres.
• Strong presence of low-cost, low-durability products.
• Emerging EPR frameworks (Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador)

Chile, for example, through its EPR law (Ley REP), has made significant progress in structuring collection and recovery targets. However, like many systems, it still faces the challenge of fully integrating reuse strategies into its economic logic. Under these conditions, retreading is not just an environmental solution. It is a strategic industrial capability.

BEYOND WASTE MANAGEMENT

Latin America has a unique opportunity to design EPR systems not only to manage waste

but to govern resources and shape markets.

This means:

• Incentivising retreadable tyres
• Strengthening local retreading industries
• Reducing dependence on short-lifecycle imports
• Building resilience into supply chains

But this requires something critical: policy agility. Because if regulation lags behind market dynamics, it will not transform the system – it will merely formalise its inefficiencies.

A STRATEGIC CONCLUSION

If EPR systems are designed without properly integrating retreading – and without differentiating based on actual circular performance – they risk reinforcing a linear logic under a circular narrative. For emerging regions, this would be a critical mistake

The discussion around repair, reuse and retreading can no longer be treated merely as a waste management issue. It is increasingly becoming a matter of industrial resilience, strategic autonomy and economic security.

As global supply chains face growing pressure from geopolitical fragmentation, logistics disruptions and volatility in raw material markets, extending the useful life of products is emerging as a strategic capability for nations and industries alike.

In this context, Right to Repair should not be understood only as a consumer right but also as an industrial policy tool capable of strengthening local economies, reducing external dependency, preserving technical capabilities and supporting more resilient production systems.

Retreading, remanufacturing and reuse are part of a broader transition where value creation is no longer based exclusively on extraction and disposal but increasingly on intelligence, efficiency and lifecycle management.

CIRCULARITY WITHOUT HIERARCHY BECOMES INEFFICIENCY. REGULATION WITHOUT DIFFERENTIATION BECOMES DISTORTION.

Final note

The future of the tyre industry will not be defined only by how we recycle, but by how intelligently we extend the life of what we already produce. And that requires alignment between:

• Industry dynamics.
• Policy design.
• And strategic vision.

In that equation, retreading must move from the margins to the centre. Because properly understood, it is not just a process. It is a strategic filter, an industrial policy tool and a geopolitical lever.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its market report for May 2026, depicting a sector characterised by sustained price strength and firm fundamentals. The global natural rubber market received additional upward momentum from a decline in Brent crude oil prices, which averaged USD 107.14 per barrel during the month. This represented a month-on-month decrease of 8.65 percent, attributed to easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which collectively bolstered the commodity's outlook.

Global production projections for 2026 stand at 15.337 million tonnes, marking a 2.4 percent increase from the previous year, with growth driven by Thailand, China, India and Malaysia, even as output moderates in Indonesia and Vietnam. Monthly production, however, fell to 997,000 tonnes in May, a year-on-year decline of 4.7 percent, due to seasonal wintering and dry weather conditions across South and Southeast Asia. Concurrently, worldwide consumption is forecast to rise by 1.3 percent to 15.550 million tonnes for the year, with May's consumption reaching 1.310 million tonnes, a 4.6 percent annual increase. This demand was underpinned by steady tyre manufacturing, electric vehicle-related consumption and resilient purchasing managers' indices in China and India, alongside record auto retail sales in India.

Physical prices for all major grades recorded broad-based gains throughout May, with SMR-20, STR-20, RSS-3, RSS-4 and latex all experiencing increases. Trade flows showed a mixed pattern, as imports from China and India contracted month-on-month, while Malaysia and Vietnam registered significant gains. On the export front, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand recorded increases, whereas Indonesia and Malaysia saw declines. Currency movements saw the Malaysian ringgit ease slightly, while the Thai baht traded within a stable range, and both nations reported decelerating GDP growth for the first quarter of 2026. Futures contracts on the SHFE and SGX reflected tightening supply and firm demand, posting notable month-on-month gains.

The market outlook remains cautiously balanced against a backdrop of several macroeconomic factors. Elevated trade tensions between United States and China, ongoing geopolitical conflicts and a steady United States Federal Reserve interest rate policy present potential headwinds. However, these are being offset by supportive elements, including the accelerating adoption of electric vehicles, tight feedstock supply due to adverse weather and the positive market sentiment generated by the European Union's decision to lower anti-dumping duties on Chinese tyres.

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Zeon Corporation has introduced a novel data management system specifically designed for elastomer research and development, marking the company’s first foray into a subscription-based service model. The platform is engineered to centralise and streamline R&D data pertaining to rubber products, with the primary goal of enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating developmental processes for its clientele. The initial phase of the rollout will concentrate on the Japanese market, with a strategic plan to broaden access to other regions in the future.

The elastomer industry frequently grapples with the fragmentation of data across disparate systems, which complicates the effective utilisation of historical information. Through extensive experience in elastomer supply and sustained client engagement, Zeon has identified this operational hurdle as a pervasive issue affecting the entire sector. This recognition has been the catalyst for developing a solution that directly confronts these data management deficiencies.

The newly launched system incorporates specialised functionalities that are finely attuned to the nuances of rubber product R&D. It integrates a comprehensive database that combines master data for key compounding agents available in Japan with extensive catalogue information, facilitating rapid and efficient data access for daily research tasks. The platform’s intuitive interface and user experience are meticulously crafted to optimise usability and data visualisation, with a commitment to ongoing enhancements based on evolving customer requirements.

Zeon has formally designated this data management solution as a growth driver for its strategic initiatives, extending beyond the Phase 3 objectives of its STAGE30 medium-term plan. The company envisions this business becoming a cornerstone of its strategy to augment the value proposition of its elastomer operations. By synergising its deep-seated elastomer expertise with advanced data utilisation technologies, Zeon is poised to foster innovation in client R&D and propel the overall advancement of the elastomer industry.

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A new bio-based cut & chip resin for the most demanding applications.

NaugaShield BIO-TR 30 is SI Group’s latest advancement in bio-based performance resins designed to significantly improve cut and chip resistance in high-severity rubber applications. With approximately 75 percent bio-based content, this innovative material delivers on sustainability targets while exceeding the performance typically associated with petroleum-derived resins, making it a strong choice for applications such as OTR tyres in mining, construction and agriculture, mining conveyor belts, rubber tracks and mill linings.

Cut and chip resistance is a complex set of material behaviours, including static mechanical strength, dynamic response under deformation and ability to withstand sharp impacts and abrasive environments. In demanding applications such as mining or agriculture, materials must tolerate repeated high-strain loading and resist the initiation and propagation of tears. NaugaShield™ BIO-TR 30 was developed precisely to meet these conditions, demonstrating notably low dynamic heat buildup and excellent tear strength – characteristics closely tied to enhanced cut and chip resistance and long-term durability under cyclical loads.

To evaluate its performance, NaugaShield BIO-TR 30 was benchmarked in an Off-road Rib Tread formulation against two widely used industry references: a gum rosin/semi-aromatic C5/C9 resin combination and a styrenated DCPD resin. All materials were tested at an equal loading of 10 phr to provide a direct and unbiased comparison. Under these conditions, the bio-based resin consistently outperformed both alternatives, offering a stronger balance of reinforcing behaviour, improved tear propagation resistance and superior resistance to thermal degradation during dynamic flexing. Further improvements were achievable by reducing the amount of free extender oil in the compound, underscoring the resin’s adaptability in formulation design and its ability to unlock even greater performance when optimised.

These laboratory indicators were corroborated through extended Coesfeld Cut & Chip testing (see chart), in which compounds were subjected to up to 3,000 cycles at 200 rpm under a 200N applied force. Formulations containing NaugaShield BIO-TR 30 exhibited substantially lower mass loss and maintained tread surface integrity more effectively than the hydrocarbon and gum rosin-based-benchmarks. The performance advantage was even more pronounced in compounds adjusted for lower free oil content, confirming that the resin can be tailored to meet the durability requirements of the most challenging operating conditions.

The strong performance of NaugaShield BIO-TR 30 in OTR tread compounds can be readily transferred to other rubber goods that encounter similar wear mechanisms. Applications such as mining belts, agricultural and construction tracks or mill linings benefit from the resin’s ability to reinforce the rubber matrix, reduce crack growth under repeated impact and maintain structural cohesion under high-strain deformation. This versatility allows manufacturers to integrate a 75 percent bio-based resin that supports sustainability by reducing fossil-based content and helping end products last longer while maintaining – and often improving – operational performance across multiple product lines.

NaugaShield BIO-TR 30 is currently available in commercial quantities, enabling compounders and manufacturers to move directly from laboratory evaluation to pilot- and production-scale trials.

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