Hankook Tire’s eco-friendly sneaker in collaboration with Tread&Groove pre-sale sold out

- Additional 100 units are to be released after 200 pairs of sneakers were all sold out in pre-sales
- Provided tire treads and collaborated with tire upcycling shoe startup to create an eco-friendly sneaker
- Available for purchase at Tread&Groove official website from July 25

Seoul, Korea, July 13, 2022 – Global leading tire company Hankook Tire announces additional sales of the eco-friendly sneaker made using Hankook’s tires in collaboration with tire upcycling shoe startup, Tread&Groove, following the complete sell-out of its pre-orders. The additional 100 pairs of the sneaker will be available for purchase from July 25.

With shared ESG initiatives and concerns about the environment, the two companies successfully transformed recycled tires into eco-friendly shoes. Under a joint project named Project Transformation, Hankook provided tires not appropriate for sales due to minor irregularities, which Tread&Groove applied onto the shoe soles to produce an environmentally friendly, high grip sneaker ‘HK Groovy’.

The collection has been on pre-sale since June in limited quantities of 200 pairs, which went all sold-out. Customers who made their orders will have the products delivered starting from July 18.

Having seen enthusiasm and support from customers, the two companies decided to produce additional 100 pairs. They will be available for purchase at Tread&Groove’s official website from July 25. Not only sneaker, but also bags such as duffel bags, canisters, and tote bags made in collaboration with vintage lifestyle brand, The Craft, will be also available for consumers.

Producing shoes from recycled tires can reduce carbon dioxide emissions of about 9 kilograms per pair. As a result of the collaboration in which 300 pairs of sneakers are produced, approximately 2,700 kg of carbon dioxide emissions are reduced. It’s also notable the outsole of HK Groovy was manufactured without involving any chemical processes by separating only the tread, the rubber part of the tire surface.

The shoe is not only environmentally friendly, but it’s also durable and unique. Thanks to Hankook’s advanced tire technology, its grip is about 2.9 times higher and its wear resistance is 1.5 times better compared to a regular shoe sole. Furthermore, each outsole has a different pattern depending on the tread that has been used, making each product one of a kind. In addition, HK Groovy embodies a unique design presenting Hankook Tire’s brand identity with Hankook’s logo and the name of tire pattern.

For this project, Hankook provided premium all-season tire Ventus S2 AS, SUV tire Dynapro HP2, and ultra-high-performance sports tire Ventus S1 evo3. Prior to its pre-sales, Hankook also held an exhibition showing art pieces using tires created in collaboration with local artists, as well as an augmented reality exhibition.

Hankook Tire will continue ESG activities, while tapping into the Millennials and Generation Z who are especially conscious about genuineness and money value. It’s also a good opportunity for Hankook to engage younger generations who have a fewer chance to experience tires.

Jimmy Kwon, Vice President of Hankook Tire’s Brand Lab said, “As a company with strong commitment to sustainability, we found it very meaningful to join forces with Tread&Groove. Watching the prepared quantities being run out so quickly made us really excited. We hope more people can enjoy the outcome of this successful cross-sector collaboration and have a chance to experience Hankook in diverse ways.”

It’s not the first time Hankook presented shoes in collaboration with other brands. Last year, the company had launched eco-friendly shoe made with recycled tires in collaboration with shoe brand YASE, and collaborated with sports brand Pro-specs to release sneaker for rain and snow.