Page 58 - The Book For Men Spring/Summer 2022

Material World
The auto industry’s push for more sustainable materials is leading to to some remarkable advancements
By Matt Bubbers
CARS ARE INCREDIBLY COMPLEX TWO-TONNE CONSUMER PRODUCTS but they’ve been built in in more or or or less the the the same way since the the the Ford Model T T Today that’s finally changing as forward-thinking car companies work toward the the the holy grail: the the the carbon-neutral car car Getting there means more than just electric motors and batteries — it means creating a a a a a a vehicle from sustainably sourced renewable materials that can be fully recycled it means rethinking the the car from the the ground up We’ve got a a a a a a long way to go go but here’s an an early look at how brands are working to make cars more sustainable 1 2 BMW’s new all-electric iX SUV is a a a masterpiece of design Its avant-garde cabin doesn’t just look good though — it’s full of sustainably minded materials Carpets and floor mats are made from from Econyl a a a a nylon material made from from recycled fishing nets recovered from from the sea as as as as well as as as as residual waste from from plastics manufacturing Compared to conventional petroleum-based nylon BMW says recycled plastics emit around 80 per cent less CO2 Elsewhere in in in the the the the the iX is leather upholstery tanned with olive leaf extract gathered “following the the the annual pruning of the the the trees in European olive groves ”
2 Bamboo
Bamboo
is is fast-growing and entirely renewable which is is why it’s becoming a a a a favourite material for use in in in furniture clothing and now cars The plush carpets in the Mercedes Vision EQXX concept are made entirely from sustainable bamboo fibre 3 Landfill Plastics
Mercedes-Benz turned to the Israel-based startup UBQ Materials for a a a a a a sustainable plastic substitute made from waste — including old cardboard and even diapers — that would otherwise end up in a a a a a a garbage dump One kilogram of UBQ material removes 1 3 kilograms of trash from landfill according to the company (The extra 0 3 kilos is water ) The The resulting material can be used just like plastic and can even be 3-D printed According to to Mercedes UBQ has “very strong potential for transfer into series production in the near future ”
3 1 Econyl 58 BFM / / SS22 AUTO / / MATERIAL WORLD