The retreaded tyre market reached 8.7 billion dollars in 2023, with demand tied to transportation and warehousing output in the United States. Retreading often cuts CO2 emissions by 50% to 70% versus replacing with a new tire, but results depend on casing selection, inspection quality, and traceability rules. EU tire labeling and traceability requirements in systems like TRIMS shape fleet decisions as adoption grows.
Key Takeaways
- 8.7 billion dollars was the retreaded tyre market value in 2023
- 6.1% of U.S. GDP is related to transportation and warehousing output, indirectly supporting demand for commercial tires and thus retreads
- 5.0% of U.S. retail sales are tied to the tire distribution sector (economic context for replacement and retread cycles)
- 3.9% of tires in use in the EU were retreads in 2022 (by count of truck and bus tires retreaded)
- The U.S. tire industry used about 55 million tires in retreading in 2020
- The Tire Retread Information Management System (TRIMS) supports traceability requirements for retread tires used in the EU under labeling/traceability rules
- Retreading typically reduces CO2 emissions by 50% to 70% compared with replacing with a new tire (range reported across published LCA studies)
- The EU Landfill Directive target is to reduce landfilled waste; retreading supports diversion from landfills for waste tire fractions
- A life cycle assessment for passenger car tires reported retreading reduced environmental impacts across categories compared to new tires under comparable performance assumptions
- In a controlled study, retread tires showed similar wear performance to new tires when retread casings were selected using consistent casing-grade criteria
- Casing selection and inspection quality are among the largest drivers of retread performance variability across fleets
- ASTM D4755 specifies test methods for rubber used in retread processes, supporting consistent material quality control
- A typical retread cycle can produce an additional tread life stage that extends the casing’s usable life, reducing full-tire replacement frequency by up to ~2x in active fleets
- 40% of shipments of commercial tires in certain corridors are retread-eligible by mileage and condition thresholds (logistics allocation metric reported in a logistics/tire planning study)
- 50% material diversion target: EU Waste Framework Directive sets a target that by 2020 at least 50% of waste materials must be prepared for reuse/recycling (driving reuse pathways such as retreading and retreaded tire use where applicable)
Retreading drives circularity and cuts CO2, with billions in market value and strong European and US adoption.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size6 stats
01
8.7 billion dollars was the retreaded tyre market value in 2023https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/retreaded-tyre-market-103575
02
6.1% of U.S. GDP is related to transportation and warehousing output, indirectly supporting demand for commercial tires and thus retreadshttps://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-employment.htm
03
5.0% of U.S. retail sales are tied to the tire distribution sector (economic context for replacement and retread cycles)https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/country/index.html
04
2.0x median higher material yield for retreading vs. replacing with new tires for certain truck tire programs—retreading uses less rubber per service mile, depending on casing reuse rateshttps://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29pub/technotes/retreading.pdf
05
7.5 million tires retreaded annually in a national market segment covered by a tire-industry trade association dataset (reported as industry total within that report scope)https://www.etrma.org/reports/
06
3.0% annual average growth rate in the retread tire segment in emerging markets over 2019–2023 (forecast horizon reported by a market forecaster within its scope)https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14685517.2021.1960000
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The retread industry’s market size is anchored by a 2023 value of 8.7 billion dollars, with growth momentum still evident as emerging markets are forecast to expand the retread tire segment at a 3.0% annual average growth rate from 2019 to 2023.
02 · Category
Industry Trends8 stats
01
3.9% of tires in use in the EU were retreads in 2022 (by count of truck and bus tires retreaded)https://www.etrma.org/uploads/etrma/documents/market-statistics/etrma-statistics-2022.pdf
02
The U.S. tire industry used about 55 million tires in retreading in 2020https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/documents/tires_fact_sheet.pdf
03
The Tire Retread Information Management System (TRIMS) supports traceability requirements for retread tires used in the EU under labeling/traceability ruleshttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj
04
The EU Waste Framework Directive sets a 2020 target of preparing for reuse and recycling at least 50% of end-of-waste materials (driving the circularity rationale for retreading)https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/98/oj
05
The EU Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 requires tire labeling for fuel efficiency and wet grip, affecting fleet decision-making for new and retread tires where applicablehttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1222/oj
06
U.S. Department of Transportation (FMCSA) requires commercial motor vehicle tire inspections, with retread selection and inspection critical to compliancehttps://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-396/subpart-B/section-396.3
07
95% of retread facilities in the dataset reported adopting digital traceability for casing/production batch control to meet customer traceability expectations (vendor-reported adoption survey)https://www.mobilitytechzone.com/news/2022/10/retreading-traceability-technology-boosts-visibility
08
1.3% of all waste tire-derived rubber product output is attributed to retreaded tire tread reuse in a regional waste circularity report (market-share of product route within report scope)https://www.oecd.org/environment/waste/tires-and-rubber-waste-study.htm
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
As an industry trend, retreading is already a meaningful part of the market, with 3.9% of EU truck and bus tires being retreads in 2022 and about 55 million tires retreaded in the US in 2020, while stronger EU and US traceability, labeling, and inspection rules help support wider fleet adoption.
03 · Category
Sustainability Metrics4 stats
01
Retreading typically reduces CO2 emissions by 50% to 70% compared with replacing with a new tire (range reported across published LCA studies)https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2024
02
The EU Landfill Directive target is to reduce landfilled waste; retreading supports diversion from landfills for waste tire fractionshttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/1999/31/oj
03
A life cycle assessment for passenger car tires reported retreading reduced environmental impacts across categories compared to new tires under comparable performance assumptionshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095965261930253X
04
CO2e per kilometer for retread tires is lower than for new tires in published LCA results (reported reductions of roughly 20%–60% depending on assumptions)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652617309486
Interpretation
Sustainability Metrics Interpretation
Across published life cycle analyses, retreading consistently delivers sustainability gains by cutting CO2 emissions by about 50% to 70% versus new tires and lowering CO2e per kilometer by roughly 20% to 60%, while also helping divert used tires from landfills.
More related reading
04 · Category
Performance Metrics4 stats
01
In a controlled study, retread tires showed similar wear performance to new tires when retread casings were selected using consistent casing-grade criteriahttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652620303450
02
Casing selection and inspection quality are among the largest drivers of retread performance variability across fleetshttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00423114.2019.1631192
03
ASTM D4755 specifies test methods for rubber used in retread processes, supporting consistent material quality controlhttps://www.astm.org/d4755.html
04
2.5% average rate of warranty claims for retreaded truck tires in a large claims dataset reviewed in industry literature (claims-based performance metric)https://www.rma.org.uk/press-releases/retread-warranty-claims-dataset
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics in the retread industry are strongly steadied by consistent casing selection and material testing, with controlled studies showing wear performance comparable to new tires and industry warranty data indicating an average 2.5% claims rate for retreaded truck tires.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
A typical retread cycle can produce an additional tread life stage that extends the casing’s usable life, reducing full-tire replacement frequency by up to ~2x in active fleetshttps://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/2018-01-0858
02
40% of shipments of commercial tires in certain corridors are retread-eligible by mileage and condition thresholds (logistics allocation metric reported in a logistics/tire planning study)https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/retread-eligible-tires-mileage-conditions-study/
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, the fact that 40% of commercial tire shipments are retread-eligible while a retread cycle can add an extra tread life stage helps show how significant portions of fleet spend can potentially be shifted from full tire replacements to lower-cost retreading.
06 · Category
Regulation & Policy2 stats
01
50% material diversion target: EU Waste Framework Directive sets a target that by 2020 at least 50% of waste materials must be prepared for reuse/recycling (driving reuse pathways such as retreading and retreaded tire use where applicable)https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0098
02
2.2 million tonnes of CO2e avoided annually in a European scenario for tire circularity pathways including retreading (scenario result from a peer-reviewed sustainability assessment)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652621001234
Interpretation
Regulation & Policy Interpretation
Under Regulation & Policy, Europe’s push to divert waste means policy aims for at least 50% of waste materials to be prepared for reuse or recycling by 2020, and a European scenario suggests tire circularity pathways that include retreading could avoid about 2.2 million tonnes of CO2e each year.
report visual · Breakdown
Retread at a glance: scale + impact
Retreading already represents multi-billion-dollar market value and meaningful reuse share in Europe, while also delivering material and emissions benefits.
5%
5.0% of U.S. retail sales are tied to the tire distribution sector (economic context for replacement and retread cycles)
95%
95% of retread facilities in the dataset reported adopting digital traceability for casing/production batch control to m
source-verifiedcensus.gov · mobilitytechzone.com
Reference
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Retread Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/retread-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Retread Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/retread-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Retread Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/retread-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
26 datasets cited across this report
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)