Toyoda Gosei launches automotive parts with high recycled rubber content

Kiyosu, Japan – Toyoda Gosei (TG) has commercialised automotive weatherstrips that incorporate a high percentage of recycled rubber materials, the Japanese group announced on 24 Dec 2025.

While resource circulation has advanced for materials such as steel and plastic, TG noted that rubber remains difficult to recycle, and most waste rubber is still incinerated for thermal energy recovery.

Recycling rubber, it pointed out, requires devulcanisation to break the sulphur bonds which give rubber its elasticity.

The process, however, can also break other chemical bonds, resulting in reduced strength and the generation of characteristic odours.

The Japanese group said it has recently improved its devulcanisation technology, enhancing the quality of regenerated rubber produced from waste rubber.

As a result, TG said it has been able to increase the proportion of recycled material usable in automotive parts from less than 5% to around 20%.

Following recognition by Toyota Motor, the weatherstrip has been adopted for use in the new RAV4.

TG said it is advancing its R&D the aim of applying the recycling technology not only to synthetic rubber but also to natural rubber, which it said is used in much larger volumes.

In addition, the group plans to collaborate with car makers and other partners to establish a circular system for collecting and regenerating rubber from end-of-life vehicles.