From Beaches to Cockpits: how to craft a sustainable interior in concept car with Ocean Bound Plastics.

We are certainly proud to unveil a concept car that seamlessly integrates a complete sustainable car interior crafted from Ocean Bound Plastics (OBP), in a remarkable fusion of innovation and environmental consciousness.

This pioneering concept car made its debut during the prestigious FORVIA Sustainability Day in Paris at the close of March 2024.

A Collaborative Approach to Plastic Pollution

Our journey began as part of a solidarity partnership between the FORVIA Foundation and Plastic Odyssey , an NGO dedicated to addressing coastal plastic pollution in disadvantaged areas.

In January at the Consumer Electronic Show, we unveiled a vehicle door panel that marked a significant departure from conventional practices. Instead of using black virgin materials, we harnessed a deep blue engineered experimental compound. This innovative material was derived from plastics collected by Plastic Odyssey from beaches and even included oyster shells. The result? A premium door panel that not only showcases our technical prowess but also underscores our dedication to sustainable design.

Building upon this initial showcase, MATERI'ACT has now revealed a complete cockpit interior, featuring four door panels and one instrument panel integrated with OBP. This is a new step forward in the company's mission to establish a complete and sustainable material value chain.

A Vision for Sustainability

Remi Daudin , President of MATERI'ACT, commented on the initiative, stating, “This sustainable car interior, integrating ocean bound plastics, illustrates the capabilities of MATERI’ACT to value more complex but also more meaningful waste sources."

The eco-designed interior incorporates up to 20% recycled OBP into a compound material from the NAFILean Vision range, which stands for Natural Fillers for Lean and Visible design.

By leveraging OBP as a new potential source of recycled feedstock, MATERI’ACT is expanding its range of sustainable materials, which already includes Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR), End of Life Vehicles (ELV) and Post-Industrial Recycled (PIR) materials.

Eco-designed with values

This latest achievement highlights our ability to integrate recycled plastics into car interiors without compromising on quality and going one step further on sustainability with social consciousness on top of circular economy and low CO2. Our commitment extends beyond innovation—it’s about values. With initiatives like these, MATERI’ACT and FORVIA are inspiring positive change within the automotive industry, setting new standards for environmentally conscious design and manufacturing.