Retired is a group project that originated from the idea of developing a sustainable concept. Retired is a lab focused on recycling inner tires from bicycles, with the aim of extracting the best qualities from the material to create a fully circular value chain.
During the project, we quickly discovered that the inner tire of a bicycle is 100% recyclable, yet they are rarely reused. The material itself is durable and waterproof, offering great potential.
Through product testing, we found that the inner tires are highly versatile. They can be dyed, braided, and cut into various shapes.
After conducting these tests, we were determined to design a product that would showcase the material’s potential. We sourced the used tires for free from a local bike repair shop, where they would otherwise have been discarded.
The result: a waterproof, one-of-a-kind handbag that can itself be recycled into yet another product.