(Photo credit: ŠKODA)
Alternative rPET application
ŠKODA AUTO uses seat covers made from recycled PET bottles
- ŠKODA AUTO consistently focuses on sustainability along the entire value chain
- Car manufacturer works with suppliers and the scientific community on innovative materials which are then used in series production
- Video reveals how the seat covers for the ENYAQ iV are made from wool and recycled disposable bottles
ŠKODA AUTO has replaced its classic equipment lines with Design Selections for the interior of the all-electric ŠKODA ENYAQ iV. The Czech car manufacturer combines wool with recycled polyester from disposable PET-bottles for the seat covers of the Design Selection LODGE. In collaboration with suppliers and the scientific community, the company is working on sustainably produced, recyclable and durable materials for use in series production. In the future, ŠKODA AUTO’s procurement processes will place even more emphasis on sustainability and the circular economy along the entire value chain.
Markéta Truhelková, Coordinator of Purchasing – Interior at ŠKODA AUTO, emphasises, “The consistent use of sustainably produced materials in our current vehicles is changing the requirements in the Purchasing division and therefore also the demands on our suppliers. That’s why – true to our Simply Clever ethos – we are working together to develop innovative sustainable materials that stand up to everyday use, are easy to work with and create attractive design accents.”
As the largest private-sector company in the Czech Republic, ŠKODA AUTO is making sustainability in the purchasing of materials and components an even more important priority. In doing so, the car manufacturer is involving its supply partners along the entire process chain.
ŠKODA AUTO has been working with the Czech supplier Sage Automotive Interiors from Strakonice for several decades. It develops innovative materials that are then used in series production. These include fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles for the Design Selection LODGE in the all-electric ŠKODA ENYAQ iV. The company also develops fabrics with special fibres that function as seat heaters and enhance the comfort as well as special reflective yarns. The company works closely with the Technical University of Liberec.
The manufacturer AUNDE also produces technical textiles from recycled PET bottles and wool for the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV. The bottles are crushed, melted and processed into granulate. This is used to make a durable yarn. Once on the loom, 6,000 such threads are turned into a resistant fabric according to the specifications of ŠKODA’s interior designers. The material is then washed and dried to give it the required stability.
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