# Recycled Rubber Gadgets Tube Turns Old Bicycle Tires Into Belts, USB Sticks and iPhone Cases By Suzie Wong | Published 2010-07-12 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/usb-tube-recycled-rubber References: [tube.ch](http://www.tube.ch) & [tube.ch](http://www.tube.ch) Tube is a Switzerland-based brand that upcycles pre-used bicycle tubes for their products, which include belts, [iPhone](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/obsoless-iphone-case) cases, keychains, and USB sticks. Tube was founded by Steve Henseler and Marc Lounis. The [USB Tubes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sandisk-1) in the gallery above come in storage sizes from 1 GB to 16 GB. The i-Tube, also featured above, is an iPhone cover perfect for environmentally-conscious [Apple](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/repurposed-vintage-apple-computers) users. Old bicycle tubes would ordinarily be transported to a waste incineration plant. So far, Tube products have protected the environment from 3,000 burned tubes! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 30% | Activity: 59% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Upcycled Products:** Opportunity for creating innovative products by repurposing discarded materials like bicycle tubes. - **Eco-friendly Accessories:** Increasing demand for sustainable accessories made from recycled materials. - **Waste Reduction:** Growing trend of finding creative ways to reduce waste and avoid incineration. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fashion Accessories:** Opportunity to disrupt the fashion industry by offering eco-friendly accessories made from upcycled materials like bicycle tubes. - **Technology Accessories:** Potential for innovative tech accessories made from recycled materials such as USB sticks and smartphone cases. - **Waste Management:** Disruption potential in the waste management industry by finding innovative solutions to repurpose discarded materials and reduce waste. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Airless Bicycle Tires](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/airless-bicycle-tires.md) - [Recycled Carbon Fiber Sealants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/silca-ultimate-tubeless-sealant.md) - [Recycled Tire Jackets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kathmandu-epiq-se.md) - [Sustainable Concise Furniture Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tube-collection.md) - [Abandoned Bikes-Turned Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/objects-from-frames.md) - [Tubular Metal Furniture Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tube-collection-1.md) - [Cylinder-Cased Cycling Multitools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cylindercased-cycling-multitool.md) - [Recycled Plastic Waste Bicycles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/igusbike.md) - [Recycled Phonecase Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/journey-to-rebirth.md)