Skoda will use sugar beet pulp in future cabins

Skoda will dump plastics and man-made materials in its cabins in favour of sustainable plant-based fabrics and materials.

Teaming up with Czech Republic-based Technical University of Liberec, Skoda says it has developed and applied for patents for a number of new textiles and plastic alternatives that will slash its environmental impact.

Among its new range of 'eco' materials are said to be products that are sourced locally. Even better for the environment, many of the new materials are made from ingredients that are normally considered by-products.

These include a raw material made from sugar beet pulp and another made from the reed plant miscanthus. Both are set to be used within future Skodas for the door trims and decorative inlays.

To help demonstrate how it plans to incorporate more sustainable textiles within its future vehicle cabins, the car-maker has built an Octavia cutaway featuring some of the new low-impact materials.

Among some of the other new innovations include a process to dye sugar beet pulp shavings for use in door panels and dashboards. Sourced locally from a nearby town, Skoda says the CO2 footprint of its wood alternative is negligable.

The miscanthus reed grass is used to create a fabric that replaces the man-made wrapping for the door cards and roof pillars.

Skoda's drive to embrace sustainability has already seen the seats of its latest Enyaq iV made from fabric that's claimed to be 30 per cent natural wool and 70 per cent polyester derived from recycled plastic bottles.

Unlike Volvo, Skoda hasn't revealed any plans to drop the use of leather, but says the way it sources hides is sustainable and that its cognac-coloured leather is tanned using a natural extract from olive leaves.

Commenting on the use of eco materials in future models, Skoda technical chief Johannes Neft said: “We aim to play a pioneering role in the area of sustainability. We are taking a holistic approach to this issue, and we are addressing much more than just the CO2 emissions of our vehicle fleet; we are also focusing on researching and using ecologically sourced materials and investigating, for example, how materials such as coconut fibres or rice husks can be used in the future.”