Recycled Rubber Skateboard Collection

Product designer Paolo Gentile, a recent graduate of Nuova Academies di Belle Arti, Milan, Italy, combined sports tech with sustainability to create Frammento, a collection of skateboards made from crumb rubber derived from end-of life tires (ETLs).

Paolo said his inspiration for Frammento came while hanging out at a children’s playground. “I became intrigued by the rubber surfacing material, “ he said.

Researching the material, the designer learned that recycled rubber granules were available, low cost and retained all the technical properties of rubber. “I started thinking of new applications for it,” he said.

Paolo Gentile said he realized that the properties of the rubber granules derived from ELTS such as grip, durability, elasticity, flexibility, impact resistance and traction are exactly the characteristics a nifty-looking, high performing skateboard needs.

With the help of Ecopneus, an Italian non-profit company established by Italian tire manufacturers and Casei Ecosystems, a Molino, Italy-based recycled rubber products manufacturer and rubber granulate provider, Paolo studied how tires are processed, the rubber materials derived from them and how to use tire derived materials.

Ecopneus and Casei Ecosystems helped him source and determine the size and type of tire derived rubber he needed for the skateboard. They also helped school the designer about molding methods, bonding agents and colorants that would help him form and design the Frammento skateboard.

Launched recently in skateboard circles, Frammento is getting high marks as a fun, practical, safe form of transportation. It’s an eco-friendly alternative to traditional boards. ” One that all skateboarding enthusiasts would love to get their hands on,” Paolo said.

© Scrap Tire News, November 2019