Ford Fusion is the first global vehicle program to use seat fabric made from recycled material, with the potential to recycle enough plastic bottles and post-industrial waste to make 1.5 million yards of fabric annually, the automaker says.
The amount of recycled material in each all-new Fusion (known as Mondeo in Europe and Asia Pacific) varies depending on region. In North America, 100 percent of the seat fabric in the Fusion Hybrid contains recycled material. Where available, Mondeo in Ford’s Asia Pacific and European regions has 43 percent recycled content.
Ford says the 2013 Fusion is the latest example of its commitment to use recycled material whenever possible. In North America, Ford has increased use of recycled yarns from zero in 2007 to about 66 percent of vehicle programs for 2013, the company says.
Carol Kordich, Ford lead designer of sustainable materials, says the idea is to one day have all Ford fabrics consist of recycled material.
Since the 2009 model year, any new seat fabric used in Ford vehicles must contain at least 25 percent recycled material.
Some of Ford’s most advanced vehicles — Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid SE — already have fabrics with as much as 100 percent recycled content, the company says.
Overall, Ford uses a total of 41 fabrics from a handful of suppliers across 15 vehicle programs that vary by pattern, level of recycled content and purpose.
Source: Environmental Leader