Siping (rubber) wear and extends the life of the tire. Both Bridgestone and Michelin sell snow tires that are siped at the factory, while Saf-Tee Siping and Grooving sells machines that can sipe most standard vehicle tires. Siping can also be done by hand. Siping tires may void the manufacturer's warranty. Claims that extended life is achieved by siping may only apply to certain environments, operating temperatures, and rubber compound builds. Siped soles are a characteristic feature of boat shoes. Siping (rubber) Siping is a process of cutting thin slits across a rubber surface to improve traction in wet or icy conditions.
Natural rubber the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) in Germany developed a cultivar that is suitable for commercial production of natural rubber. In collaboration with Continental Tires, IME began a pilot facility. Many other plants produce forms of latex rich in isoprene polymers, though not all produce usable forms of polymer as easily as the Pará. Some of them require more elaborate processing to produce anything like usable rubber, and most are more difficult to tap. Some produce other desirable materials, for example gutta-percha ("Palaquium gutta") and chicle from "Manilkara" species. Others that have been commercially exploited, or