In the heart of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, what was once considered waste is now fueling a quiet revolution. Discarded tires from trucks, buses, and cars, once dumped in landfills or openly burned, are being transformed into everyday essentials: sandals, flooring tiles, buckets, tubs, and even playground mats and chairs.

This shift isn’t powered by heavy machinery or large-scale factories. Instead, it’s the result of skilled hands and deep know-how. Craftsmen in KP dismantle every part of a tire—steel cords, nylon belts, bead wires, treads, carcasses, sidewalls, and inner liners—and repurpose them into products with real commercial value. The entire process is done manually, producing no emissions and causing no harm to the environment.

It’s a grassroots recycling movement that’s not just reviving old rubber but also rejuvenating lives, local businesses, and the economy. What’s emerged is a thriving informal sector involving collectors, micro-entrepreneurs, and small-scale manufacturers. Restrictions on pyrolysis plants and tire-burning in KP (with 11 such operations previously) have pushed the region toward cleaner, craft-based recycling methods. And the results are reaching far, 115 shipments of reclaimed rubber, with a staggering 106% growth annually, are now being exported to the Gulf, Africa, and Southeast Asia, contributing valuable foreign exchange.

The Life of a Tire in Peshawar

Across Peshawar’s busiest streets, tires tossed aside are given a new lease on life. Every tire has seven distinct layers, and each one is carefully extracted, cleaned, and sorted by hand. Using basic tools—steel blades, box cutters, and hand saws—workers separate the tread, sidewall, steel bead, inner liner, nylon belt, and more. These parts are sold to local micro-enterprises who turn them into useful goods.

“LaikZada Khan,” one of the recyclers, explains: “We carefully separate and deliver every layer—the sole, sidewall, steel, and more. These are then sold to shoemakers and artisans who turn each piece into new products—used in cars, sofas, and other items.”

In the narrow alleys of Peshawar, shoemakers and small workshop owners are hard at work turning tire rubber into durable soles for sandals and slippers, known locally as chappals. Thick, robust tires from trucks and buses are ideal for this. After being cut, flattened, and warmed, the rubber is shaped into soles that are tough, water-resistant, and able to withstand harsh surfaces—making them especially popular among laborers and rural communities.

The tools are simple: metal cutters, a pressing machine, and glue. To add strength, multiple layers are stacked, then hand-cut for a perfect finish. As one craftsman, Shafeeq, puts it: “This rubber lasts longer than most factory-made soles—it doesn’t break or wear easily. We sell 40 to 50 pairs a day and export to countries like Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and the Gulf.”

This recycling network supports thousands of informal workers—collectors, cutters, crafters, and manufacturers—who turn what was once waste into valuable products like slippers, buckets, mats, and ropes. These goods are sold in markets from Lahore to Karachi and provide affordable alternatives to costly imports. As demand grows, so do exports, boosting Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and offering business opportunities to local entrepreneurs who work with little more than basic tools and raw material that’s essentially free.

A Family Legacy of Reinvention

Yasir, a young stall owner in Peshawar, represents the third generation of his family in the tire recycling business. From his small shop, he sells handmade rubber buckets, ropes, stools, and tubs—created from old tires in backyard workshops. “My grandfather started this in Peshawar,” he says. “Long before recycling was talked about in the media, our family was turning tires into useful items. They’re cheap, durable, and made to last. We sell them locally, especially to villagers who use the buckets and ropes to draw water from wells.”

What’s happening in KP is more than just a recycling effort—it’s a story of resilience, creativity, and community. Tires once seen as useless are now driving income, dignity, and environmental progress. From cramped workshops to export warehouses, each cut and stitch is a testament to human effort.

Skilled hands are bringing “dead” rubber back to life—shaping it into practical, low-cost products used across homes, farms, and industries in Pakistan and abroad. From Lahore to Multan, and from the Gulf to Africa and Southeast Asia, Peshawar’s recycled goods are joining the global supply chain.

As demand continues to rise, so does awareness of how this grassroots industry reduces pollution, cuts import dependency, and promotes sustainability. Tire recycling in Pakistan has become more than a trade—it’s a powerful reminder that with resourcefulness and persistence, even the toughest materials can be transformed into something valuable.