Organic Leather in New Bentley

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【Summary】Bentley has developed fully organic leather for its car interiors as part of its sustainability plan. The leather is made from highly traceable hides sourced from the meat industry and is free from harmful metals and minerals. The tanning process uses an organic by-product of the olive oil industry, resulting in a soft and sustainable material. Bentley plans to offer this leather across its entire product range, showcasing its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

FutureCar Staff Aug 16, 2023 11:44 PM PT

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

Currently, Bentley uses highly traceable leather hides that are a by-product of the meat industry and would otherwise go to landfill. The hides are sourced within the European Union to avoid using hides linked to deforestation. This reflects Bentley's efforts to encourage greener processes within its supply chain.

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, resulting in a higher concentration of renewable chemicals and a leather free of harmful metals, minerals, and aldehydes. Bentley describes the organic leather as "incredibly soft."

According to Marc Stang, a technical expert at Bentley, leather is an important component of the car interiors and contributes to the brand's signature finish. Stang also highlights that Bentley cars are known for their durability, with 84 percent of all Bentley cars built still on U.K. 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 automaker plans to offer the OMW-derived leather across its entire product range.

Since announcing its Beyond 100 strategy in November 2020, Bentley has made significant sustainability progress. The company is investing $3.4 billion over the next decade to electrify its lineup and aims to become carbon neutral by 2030. The introduction of the new organic leather demonstrates that Bentley can achieve its green goals without compromising on style.

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