Skoda Auto announced that it replaced its classic equipment lines with design selections for the interior of the all-electric Skoda ENYAQ iV.
A communication from the company said that the OEM 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, the company’s procurement processes will place even more emphasis on sustainability and the circular economy along the entire value chain.
The company is making sustainability in purchasing materials and components an even more important priority. In doing so, the car manufacturer involves its supply partners along the entire process chain.
It has worked 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 Skoda ENYAQ iV. The company also develops fabrics with special fibres that function as seat heaters and enhance comfort and special reflective yarns. In addition, 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 electric car. 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 the company’s interior designers. The material is then washed and dried to give it the required stability.
Markéta Truhelková, Coordinator of Purchasing – Interior, Skoda Auto, said, “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.”