Drive. Recycle. Wear.

At Timberland, we really know about the craft of making premium boots and shoes. After all, we’ve been doing it since 1973. During our long history of creating boots, we’ve always thought about the environmental footprint our company has on the world. That’s why we are committed to use as much recycled, organic and renewable materials as possible in our products.

We first saw our footwear as a great opportunity to incorporate more recycled materials and reduce our environmental footprint.  In 2008, we introduced an innovative recycled outsole made with crumb rubber from discarded truck and car tires.

But we couldn’t guarantee the quality of the recycled rubber as our demand for the material increased. We had to do better. In 2010 we developed a recycled rubber outsole compound made with at least 35% pre-consumer (or post-industrial) recycled latex, reusing materials that would otherwise go into landfills.

But the most sustainable recycled content is made with post-consumer recycled materials so we asked ourselves, “Is it possible to introduce a car tire that is designed and manufactured with a designated second life as an outsole in Timberland shoes and boots in mind?”

In other words, when the tread wears out, can the tire live on in Timberland shoes and boots?

Timberland Tires

We forged a partnership with tire manufacturer, Omni United, who could build a line of premium performance passenger vehicle tires that could be recycled into Timberland shoes after their journey on the road was complete. Omni’s quality standards ensure Timberland Tires deliver traction, comfort and handling without compromise. (We also just really loved the idea of eventually making footprints with our recycled tires.)

Timberland tires are the first tires ever purposefully designed to be recycled into footwear outsoles after their journey on the road is complete. The most low-tech, least intrusive way to break down tires and reuse them is the best option for our ecosystem.

The easiest way to think of our tire-to-sole program is like taking off a pair of pants and cutting them into shorts. (By the way, if you’ve never done that, you’re missing out on a deeply satisfying moment.) However, only certain pants will double as great shorts in a second life, which is why choosing the right material from the beginning is so important.

That’s the exact reason Timberland decided it was worth the extra effort to get involved and create a tire line:  to ensure the very best materials would be available for shoe soles at the end of the tire’s life cycle. After a long tweaking process, Timberland Tires were finally born.

(Most importantly) Where To Find Timberland Tires

Now we have Timberland Tires made in the USA that fit most cars in the country, with new tire sizes being added every few months. Get Timberland Tires delivered to your mechanic, or find a dealer near you through TimberlandTires.com.

Once you’ve worn out our tires on the road, we will responsibly recycle them into the soles of Timberland footwear. In other words, reduce your environmental footprint while you make actual footprints on the Modern Trail.