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MANILA: The floor mat and cabin trims of future Jaguar and Land Rover units will basically use waste, or more appropriately, recycled plastic waste into Econyl fiber by circular economy company Aquafil.
This plastic waste comes from industrial manufacturing, clothing manufacturers’ fabric clippings, fishing nets from the agricultural industry, and those left in the ocean, known as’ ghost nets’.
While these materials may be considered junk by many, Jaguar Land Rover aims to make them part of its luxurious interior in line with its sustainable and responsible sourcing of materials under Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero mission.
Econyl is regenerated nylon that has already been used by high-end luxury watches, sportswear and fashion brands to create handbags, backpacks, swimwear, and watch straps.
Nylon waste is recovered by Aquafil from around the world and is then analyzed, treated and prepared to be introduced into a chemical plant, where the nylon waste is broken down into its original raw material through a chemical treatment process, known as depolymerization. . The nylon raw material is then turned into yarn, known as Econyl.
This yarn can be used to make floor mats for future Jaguar and Land Rover models with the aim of using more environmentally friendly and sustainable materials, while still offering customers a premium and durable product.
In a single year, Aquafil recycles up to 40,000 tonnes of waste and in the process reduces the impact of nylon on global warming by 90% compared to material produced from petroleum. For every 10,000 tons of Econyl feedstock produced, 70,000 barrels of crude oil are saved and 65,100 tons of carbon equivalent emissions are avoided.
Aside from Econyl or reclaimed nylon, other by-products, such as non-nylon metallic materials or copper sulfate, which are used to prevent seagrass growth in fishing nets, are disposed of and sent to alternative industries for its recycling.
“Our designers and engineers are committed to developing the next generation of sustainable materials that will be included in future Jaguar and Land Rover models. We put a great focus on creating new sustainable materials, using the latest and most innovative techniques and textiles. Minimizing waste, reusing materials and reducing carbon emissions is at the heart of our Zero Destination mission. This pioneering materials research is one of the key ways we will achieve this and is an integral part of our design offering for our customers, ”said Adrian Iles, Senior Interior Systems Engineer, Jaguar Land Rover.
Land Rover currently offers a premium eucalyptus textile interior on the Range Rover Evoque, while models such as the Jaguar Evoque, Range Rover and all-electric I-PACE benefit from the optional Kvadrat, a high-quality wool-blend material. Durable with a suede fabric made from 53 recycled plastic bottles per vehicle.
Photos courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover
Also read: Jaguar and Land Rover Unveil Five-Year Interest-Free Ownership Plan
