Bentley's Revolutionary Organic Leather Unveiled

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【Summary】Bentley has developed fully organic leather for its car interiors as part of its sustainability plan. The new Olive Tan leather is made through a sustainable tanning process using an organic by-product of the olive oil industry. It is soft, free of harmful metals, minerals, and aldehydes, and has a higher concentration of renewable chemicals. Bentley plans to offer this eco-friendly leather across its entire product range.

FutureCar Staff Aug 18, 2023 7:52 AM PT

Bentley's Revolutionary Organic Leather Unveiled

Bentley is introducing a sustainable upgrade to its iconic quilted interiors. As part of its "Beyond 100" plan to become more environmentally friendly, the British luxury car brand has developed a fully organic leather for its cabins. The eco-friendly material will make its debut 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 going to landfill. The hides are sourced within the European Union and are not linked to deforestation. This reflects the brand's efforts to encourage greener processes within its supply chain.

The new Olive Tan leather is the first to undergo a sustainable tanning process. It utilizes an organic by-product of the olive oil industry, specifically the wastewater extracted during olive pressing. This tanning agent has a higher concentration of renewable chemicals and is free of harmful metals, minerals, and aldehydes. The result is an incredibly soft and organic leather, according to Bentley.

Leather is a crucial component of Bentley's car interiors and plays a significant role in creating the brand's signature finish. It is also known for its durability, with 84 percent of all Bentley cars built still on UK roads. 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 brand plans to offer the OMW-derived leather across its entire product range.

Bentley has been making significant strides in sustainability since announcing its Beyond 100 strategy in November 2020. The brand has committed to spending $3.4 billion over the next decade to electrify its lineup and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The introduction of the organic leather demonstrates that Bentley can pursue its green goals without compromising on style.

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