The journey towards more sustainable rubber leads to Russian dandelions

From specially bred dandelions to using recycled tyres in Timberland footwear, the industry is working to take pressure off the environment

The life of a tyre begins with the rubber tree in south-east Asia, which produces around 90% of the world's natural rubber supply. The tyre industry consumes around 70% of all natural rubber grown because it offers performance qualities, such as resistance and load-bearing capability, unmatched by synthetic alternatives.

Increasing car ownership in countries such as India and China is driving up demand for rubber. To meet this, recent research estimates rubber plantations in south-east Asia will have to expand by 8.5m hectares by 2024, with potentially "catastrophic" consequences for forests, primates and endangered birds.