After a long phase of research and experimentation, Selle Royal is excited to present its new Stracciatella technology. This innovation, which will be first introduced in the brand’s Lookin family of saddles, marks a significant step toward a more circular and responsible production process that the company plans to introduce to other saddle lines.
Stracciatella technology represents a cutting-edge method that allows for the recovery of waste materials from production to be transformed into granules that are then integrated into the foam padding of new saddles, significantly reducing waste in the production process.
Culture, Vision, and Commitment
In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the SHIFT CYCLING CULTURE Climate Commitment, of which Selle Royal Group is one of the first signatories, Selle Royal is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 through the implementation of measurable and far-reaching steps.
This commitment is part of a concrete action plan, starting with a detailed analysis of the company’s environmental impact and culminating in the Group’s first Sustainability Report (2021-2023). Stracciatella technology is one of the key initiatives supporting these goals by reducing production waste and optimizing resource use.
“For the Group and the brand, the Stracciatella product project makes our commitment to a more sustainable production model tangible and reduces the environmental impact of what we design and create. It will be a long journey, but we believe we are on the right path, motivated by a long-term vision toward a new industrial model that is now more necessary than ever,” says Riccardo Losio, Strategy & Brands Director of Selle Royal Group.
How did Stracciatella technology come about?
Starting from the principle that real change can only come from data analysis and a perspective shift based on a scientific approach, the development started with an in-depth analysis of production cycles and the supply chain. According to Selle Royal’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) applied to over 13,000 industrial processes, 65% of a saddle’s CO2 emissions are linked to raw materials. The company has begun to use alternative organic or recycled materials in its products alongside the new Stracciatella technology, which reduces emissions by recycling waste materials.
Collect. Crush. Refoam. How Stracciatella works.
Saddle production, like any industrial process, inevitably generates waste from product testing, machinery adjustments, production defects, and specific chemical reactions in the foam polymerization process. Due to their mixed composition, these semi-finished products made from complex materials—such as PVC covers, PP/PA bases, PU foam, and Royalgel™—are typically difficult to recycle.
After years of research and development, Selle Royal overcame this challenge with Stracciatella technology, transforming this waste into a new granular material (named “Stracciatella”, after the famous Italian chocolate chip ice cream), allowing it to be reintegrated into the production cycle as foam for new saddles.
Matteo Mason, Manufacturing & Technology Director at Selle Royal Group, who led the development of Stracciatella, explains: “It took years of trials and experimentation to achieve this result. Setting ourselves the ambitious goal of reusing this material with inseparable components, we took inspiration from other industries to attempt completely new processes never before tested in the saddle sector. These range from grinding these objects in their entirety to adapting existing production machinery, all while preserving comfort in the final product.”
Lookin, Lookin Evo, and Essenza Saddles
The first products with a recycled core, the iconic Lookin and Lookin Evo saddles will be the first to incorporate the new foam made with Stracciatella technology. Thanks to a renewed design, which maintains comfort and quality, the partially transparent cover will now serve a dual purpose: the two “windows” that have always characterized this product line will allow cyclists to see not only the Royalgel™, but also the Stracciatella material at the heart of the saddle, making visible the commitment to the environment from which these products are generated. For the OEM market, the Essenza saddle, one of the most present and beloved models in the cycling world, will also be part of this line.
Why the name ‘Stracciatella’?
Lara Cunico, Brand Manager at Selle Royal, explains: “Although Selle Royal’s commitment to more responsible production is very serious, the message and style in which we want to communicate with our consumers should remain simple. When we first saw this new foam in our chemical lab, we immediately thought of the iconic ice cream flavor (Italians have a particular fixation on food). From this slightly ironic image came not only the name but also the visual and communication approach we chose to introduce this technology to the market. After all, Selle Royal stands for reliability and technological innovation, but also represents comfort, spontaneity, and accessibility— just like chocolate chip ice cream.”
The Future
The Stracciatella process is in continuous development and is expected to be widely applied to Selle Royal’s production lines and product range. With new machinery being implemented and ongoing experimentation on other uses of the granulate, the company is ready to further expand this patented technology, with the goal of making it an integral part of future production and the company’s long-term vision.
