Bentley's Organic Leather Makes Debut in New Vehicle

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【Summary】Bentley has developed a fully organic leather for its car interiors as part of its sustainability efforts. The leather, made from a sustainable tanning process using an organic by-product of the olive oil industry, is soft and free of harmful metals. Bentley plans to offer this eco-friendly leather across its entire product range. The company aims to become carbon neutral by 2030 and has allocated $3.4 billion to electrify its lineup.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 4:29 PM PT

Bentley's Organic Leather Makes Debut in New Vehicle

Bentley is introducing a green upgrade to its iconic quilted interiors. As part of its sustainability plan, called "Beyond 100," the British automaker 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 sourced from the meat industry and would otherwise go to landfill. The hides are a by-product of the industry and are obtained from the European Union. The company also ensures that it avoids using hides linked to deforestation, reflecting its commitment to greener processes.

The new Olive Tan leather is the first to undergo a sustainable tanning process that utilizes an organic by-product of the olive oil industry. The tanning agent is derived from wastewater extracted during olive pressing. This process results in a higher concentration of renewable chemicals and eliminates harmful metals, minerals, and aldehydes. The end result is an incredibly soft organic leather.

According to Marc Stang, the technical expert leather at Bentley, leather is a crucial component of the car interiors and plays a significant role in creating Bentley's signature finish. He also emphasizes the importance of its durability, as the majority of Bentley cars built are still in use on UK roads.

Bentley is proud to be the first in the industry to adopt the Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) technology from Italian leather tannery Pasubio SpA. The automaker 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 strides in sustainability. The company has allocated $3.4 billion over the next decade to electrify its lineup and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. This latest innovation demonstrates that Bentley can achieve its green goals without compromising on style.

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