Bentley's Organic Leather Makes Its Debut in New Car

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【Summary】Bentley has developed a fully organic leather for car interiors as part of its sustainability plan. The leather is made from traceable hides sourced from the European Union and is a by-product of the meat industry. The new Olive Tan leather is tanned using wastewater from the olive oil industry, making it free of harmful chemicals. Bentley plans to use this leather across its entire product range and is making efforts to become carbon neutral by 2030.

FutureCar Staff Aug 21, 2023 4:58 PM PT

Bentley's Organic Leather Makes Its Debut in New Car

Bentley is taking steps to make its iconic quilted interiors more sustainable by developing a fully organic leather for its cabins. As part of its "Beyond 100" plan to become more eco-friendly, Bentley will debut this eco-friendly material in a new model at Monterey Car Week in California on August 18. However, the brand couldn't resist giving a preview of the material on the internet beforehand.

The luxury automaker already uses highly traceable leather hides that are a by-product of the meat industry. These hides would otherwise end up in landfills if not for recycling. Bentley ensures that all the hides it uses are sourced within the European Union and avoids using hides linked to deforestation. This reflects the brand's commitment to encouraging greener processes within its supply chain.

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

Leather plays a crucial role in Bentley's car interiors and contributes to the brand's signature finish. Marc Stang, the technical expert leather at Bentley, emphasizes the importance of leather's durability, especially since 84 percent of all Bentley cars built are still on UK roads. The brand's commitment to sustainability is further demonstrated by its collaboration with Italian leather tannery Pasubio SpA, making Bentley the first in the industry to use the Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) technology.

Bentley plans to offer the OMW-derived leather across its entire product range. This move aligns with the automaker's Beyond 100 strategy announced in November 2020, which aims to spend $3.4 billion over the next decade to electrify its lineup and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. By incorporating sustainable materials like organic leather, Bentley proves that it can achieve its green goals without compromising on style.

Monterey Car Week will conclude this Sunday, and Robb Report will provide a recap of the event. Stay tuned for more updates.