Bentley's Organic Leather Makes Debut in Latest Car

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【Summary】Bentley has developed a fully organic leather for its car interiors as part of its sustainability plan. The new leather, called Olive Tan, is made using a tanning process that utilizes an organic by-product of the olive oil industry, resulting in a soft and eco-friendly material. Bentley aims to offer this leather across its entire product range in the future. The luxury automaker is making significant sustainability efforts and plans to become carbon neutral by 2030.

FutureCar Staff Aug 17, 2023 9:46 AM PT

Bentley's Organic Leather Makes Debut in Latest Car

Bentley is making a sustainable upgrade to its iconic quilted interiors. As part of its "Beyond 100" plan to become more environmentally friendly, the British luxury brand has developed a fully organic leather for its cabins. The eco-friendly material will be showcased in a new Bentley model at Monterey Car Week in California on August 18.

Bentley already uses highly traceable leather hides that are a by-product of the meat industry, preventing them from ending up in landfills. The hides are sourced in the European Union and the company avoids using hides linked to deforestation. This reflects their commitment to promoting greener processes within their supply chain.

The new Olive Tan leather is the first to undergo a sustainable tanning process. The tanning agent used is derived from the wastewater extracted during olive pressing, making it a renewable and chemical-free alternative. This results in an organic leather that is incredibly soft, according to Bentley.

Leather is an essential component of Bentley's car interiors and plays a significant role in creating the brand's signature finish. It is also highly durable, with 84 percent of all Bentley cars built still being on U.K. roads, emphasizing the importance of longevity.

Bentley is proud to be the first in the industry to use the Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) technology from Italian leather tannery Pasubio SpA. The company plans to offer the OMW-derived leather across its entire product range.

Since announcing its Beyond 100 strategy in November 2020, Bentley has been making significant sustainability progress. The automaker is investing $3.4 billion over the next decade to electrify its lineup and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. This latest innovation demonstrates that Bentley can prioritize sustainability without compromising style.

Monterey Car Week will conclude this Sunday, so stay tuned for Robb Report's recap of the event.