Cotton-Based Interior Material Coming from Mitsubishi

It's good to learn, from time to time, that the efforts of the auto makers do not limit themselves these days at developing electric power trains. It's also refreshing to learn that, from time to time, some of them pay a little extra attention to the interior of the car, a component of the vehicle often overlooked and hastily wrapped in plastic.

Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi is one of those who try to come up with new materials for the interior. And, if we are to judge by what the car maker is saying, their new material, a combination of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cotton fibers, might just be the change we needed.

The new material, which will at first be used on vehicle seats, is part of Mitsubishi's Green Plastic lineup, a range of plant-based materials meant to be both user- and eco-friendly. The auto maker says that CO2 emission throughout the lifecycle of the material has been reduced by about 20 percent compared to conventional products (PET 100 percent).

“This material has been able to attain the high standards required for automobile parts with its effective original structural design and a flame retardant treatment proper to characteristics of cotton fibers,” says Mitsubishi.

In the future, the manufacturer plans to fit the new material into other parts of the cars' interiors as well. Soon, we'll see it on ceilings and trim surfaces.

Ok, so this is not exactly a plastic free material, but at least it's an improvement, one small step towards a future when we'll rid ourselves of plastic for good.