Lear Corp. in Southfield, a global automotive technology leader in seating and e-systems, today announced the company’s premium and fully recyclable ReNewKnit sueded material will launch in seating and door panel applications with a global automaker in 2024.
ReNewKnit is a Lear exclusive, first-to-market automotive textile that is fully recyclable at its end of life. Manufactured solely with recycled materials at Lear facilities using 100 percent renewable electricity, ReNewKnit further strengthens the company’s sustainable solutions technology portfolio while supporting its carbon reduction goals.
“At Lear, we are positioning our surface material offerings to what we believe is the future — a global circular economy where repurposed textiles can be infinitely recycled to become the ultimate raw material for sustainable manufacturing and design,” says Frank Orsini, executive vice president and president of Lear’s seating business.
Composed of 100 percent recycled plastic bottles, ReNewKnit fibers are spun from polyester yarn and finished with a foam-free, recycled fleece backing that further reduces water and energy consumption in the manufacturing process.
The premium material challenges perceptions of reused and recycled textiles with a wide range of surfaces suitable for various interior applications and improved functionality.
“ReNewKnit aligns with the vision automakers have for offering a premium look and feel without sacrificing the sense of luxury and performance expected from a suede-like material,” Orsini says.
Developed by Guilford Performance Textiles by Lear, ReNewKnit will be manufactured at company facilities in the United Kingdom and Poland.
Lear has employees in 38 countries and serves every major automaker in the world.
For more information about Lear, visit lear.com.
