Electric Mobility and Materials Circularity - A Study of Recycled PET Textiles for Automotive Interiors

The adoption of sustainability in electric mobility has made it crucial to investigate environmentally friendly materials. Polymer materials used in automotive application plays very important role in material circularity contributing significant value addition to the overall carbon footprint index. This study discloses the development of recycled polyester textiles derived from PET bottle waste and use for automotive interior parts. The use of recycled textiles is directly helping the organization in scope 3 emissions to get the lower carbon footprint value as it is eliminating the use of fossil fuel resources in making the PET textiles. In this study, the development of 50% recycled PET textile and its feasibility for automotive interior is disclosed in detail. The 50 % recycled PET was tested against automotive critical requirements such as sun load UV resistance, abrasion durability, color migrations, soiling resistance, mechanical and thermal properties. The findings showed that recycled fabrics can perform equal to the virgin materials in all aspects meeting all critical functional requirements. This development encourages the automotive industry to adopt environmentally responsible practices, fostering a more sustainable and eco-conscious future. The findings serve as a foundation for further exploration and innovation in the development of eco-friendly materials for automotive applications.