Photo: Continental
German automotive parts manufacturer Continental unveils a new type of upholstery that is touted as premium and designed to move the industry forward through its effectiveness and originality. The material, which has already won an award, is supposed to be more sustainable, more comfortable, and long-lasting.
More and more automakers are gradually switching to sustainable materials for the interior of their cars, with the concern for the ethical treatment of animals being often cited as a decisive factor. Take Volvo for instance, which announced back in the fall that in the future, it plans to offer only leather-free interiors for its electric cars. Instead, the Swedish manufacturer intends to use sustainable materials such as Nordico, which, among others, is made from PET bottles and corks recycled from the wine industry.
Continental’s newly unveiled surface material is also described as sustainable and it’s called Benova Eco Protect. It can be used for various interior parts/areas in the vehicle, such as the instrument panel, door panel, side or center console, seat cover, or headrest.
The German manufacturer boasts of the new material impressing with its “particularly soft feel and exceptional value appeal, combined with outstanding aging resistance and fastness to light”, as explained by Continental’s Christian Noell.
Benova Eco Protect is durable and has great heat and UV resistance, being able to remain intact even when exposed to prolonged heat of 120 degrees C (248 F).
And because sustainable vehicle interiors are all the rage now, Continental reassures customers that it hasn’t used any critical ingredients such as solvents, plasticizers, or anything of animal origin when creating its Benova Eco Protect. The material has a low product carbon footprint, a thickness of 0.9 mm (0.03”), and offers a weight advantage of approximately 20 percent.
With such good qualities recommending it, the Benova Eco Protect has already won an award from the German Design Council, for which it had to compete with 639 candidates in its category.
Continental is currently producing the material in Germany but plans to also start manufacturing it at its Winchester, Virginia plant in the U.S.
Continental’s newly unveiled surface material is also described as sustainable and it’s called Benova Eco Protect. It can be used for various interior parts/areas in the vehicle, such as the instrument panel, door panel, side or center console, seat cover, or headrest.
The German manufacturer boasts of the new material impressing with its “particularly soft feel and exceptional value appeal, combined with outstanding aging resistance and fastness to light”, as explained by Continental’s Christian Noell.
Benova Eco Protect is durable and has great heat and UV resistance, being able to remain intact even when exposed to prolonged heat of 120 degrees C (248 F).
And because sustainable vehicle interiors are all the rage now, Continental reassures customers that it hasn’t used any critical ingredients such as solvents, plasticizers, or anything of animal origin when creating its Benova Eco Protect. The material has a low product carbon footprint, a thickness of 0.9 mm (0.03”), and offers a weight advantage of approximately 20 percent.
With such good qualities recommending it, the Benova Eco Protect has already won an award from the German Design Council, for which it had to compete with 639 candidates in its category.
Continental is currently producing the material in Germany but plans to also start manufacturing it at its Winchester, Virginia plant in the U.S.
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