Trek Bicycle announces industry-first shift to low-emission aluminum

WATERLOO, Wis., July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting in October 2025, nearly every aluminum bicycle frame from Trek, Electra, and Diamant will be made with aluminum that is sourced from facilities powered by renewable energy, incorporates recycled material, or both.

This shift impacts well over 1,000,000 bikes annually and is the largest carbon-reduction initiative in Trek's history. It marks a major milestone on the company's path to meeting its SBTi-certified climate goals ahead of schedule and is one of the most significant sustainability milestones the cycling industry has seen.

Trek first began investigating lower-impact aluminum in 2021. Since then, the company has developed an entirely new aluminum sourcing policy and helped its suppliers change to meet the updated criteria. The first low-emission aluminum Trek frame came off the line in August 2024; by October 2025, low-emission aluminum will be the default across Trek's alloy lineup. Frames will be sourced to meet the company's new low-emission sourcing policy, with rare exceptions.

All low-emission aluminum frames meet the same specifications and performance standards as earlier Trek models. They're functionally exactly the same, just with a lower carbon footprint.

"This is a major move, not just for Trek, but for what's possible in bicycle manufacturing," said Trek President John Burke. "It'll put us years ahead of our climate goals, and it proves there's a better path. We hope other companies will join us, inside and outside of the bicycle industry."

Raising the bar for aluminum 
Trek's new sustainable aluminum sourcing policy limits emissions to 11 kg CO₂e per kg or less, in alignment with the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative, among other requirements. Most of the material Trek sources now falls well below that mark, thanks in large part to the primary material producers that run on renewable electricity.

By setting this standard and working directly with suppliers to meet it, Trek is reshaping its entire aluminum supply chain around lower-emission material sourcing practices. 

Beyond the frame tubes
This shift started with frame tubing, but Trek is already working to apply the same standard to other aluminum parts, such as rims, seatposts, handlebars, and stems.

"We're not done," said Joel DeMeritt, Trek's Global Sustainability Manager. "Our aim is to apply this thinking across every major aluminum part we make." 

A blueprint for better  
Trek is sharing this strategy to encourage more industries, companies, and individuals to step up and drive change. The sustainable aluminum sourcing policy is available by request and will be shared at industry events to help other brands get started. 

"We recognize that lowering Trek's emissions won't save the world," said DeMeritt. "That's why we want to empower other businesses in the cycling industry and beyond to make and multiply change."

Trek's five tips for getting started with low-emission aluminum:

1. Set clear goals — and make sure everyone knows them
   
   Define what long-term success looks like. Clear emissions goals help embed sustainability into everyday decisions, right alongside other important company objectives. When everyone's on the same page, action follows.
   
   
2. Know your materials
   
   Take a close look at your aluminum supply. Where does it come from? How is it made? We created a sustainable aluminum sourcing policy that put every material supplier into two categories: acceptable or not. We then got to work shifting the mix.
   
   
3. Ask for better
   
   You may not need new suppliers, just new expectations. Cleaner options exist, even from your current partners. You just have to ask. For us, simply asking the question kicked off a chain of progress that led to a full sourcing overhaul.
   
   
4. Understand recycling
   
   Aluminum recycling is already widespread and well-established, so there's no need to reinvent existing processes. But when new recycled materials are introduced, approach them carefully. Do your homework. Look closely at the details to ensure your choices actually reduce mining, eliminate fossil fuels from the value chain, and avoid landfilling or downcycling.
   
   
5. Tell your story
   
   Transparency benefits customers, partners, and the entire industry. Sharing your wins, lessons, and challenges builds trust, inspires action, and drives industry-wide change.

More information, including progress toward Trek's climate goals, is available in the company's most recent Sustainability Report at trekbikes.com/sustainability.

SOURCE Trek Bicycle