Plymouth-based auto supplier Johnson Controls has developed a coating for vehicle fabrics that keeps car seats clean and hygienic and repels dirt and liquid while protecting passengers from microbes and static.
“Seat covers are subject to heavy use throughout a vehicle’s lifetime,” says Peter Heift, group vice president and general manager trim at Johnson Controls. “To prevent damage caused by spilled coffee, ketchup, a child’s dirty hands or microbes, for example, we have developed FreshPer4mance.”
FreshPer4mance is an anti-microbial and anti-static coating that can be applied to all fabrics, except leather and vinyl, adds Nick Xiromeritis, the company’s director of new product development in the trim group.
“JCI has developed this coating specifically during our manufacturing process of fabrics production to ensure the best possible performance and durability,” Xiromeritis says. “This is a preventative coating designed to be used with a minimal amount of cleaning agents (mostly water), so that less effort is involved to clean, and less harm is done to the fabric during the cleaning.”
Heift says the new coating is ideal for heavily used seat covers in commercial vehicles and vehicles with numerous drivers, such as rental cars. The coating — designed to be applied to the entire cover fabric, not just one side — allows automakers to expand their range of trim fabrics to include lighter colors.
