BMW will start using reprocessed fishing nets and ropes to trim select parts of its cars. The innovation will be implemented in the Neue Klasse vehicle range that the company plans to launch in 2025.
Around 30 percent of the raw material used for the cabin upholstery will consist of fishing tackle. There are two ways in which the move will be environmentally friendly, as the nets will be recovered directly from the ocean, lowering its pollution level. Furthermore, the recycling process produces fewer harmful emissions than making plastic from processed oil does.
The Bavarian automaker is already using the weave it derives from the fishing nets to make floor mats for its X1 iX SUVs. In three years’ time, the company will expand the scope of application of the material thanks to a partnership with Danish recycling company Plastix.
BMW is not the first car manufacturer to make use of such raw materials. For one, the Kia EV9 Concept has a cabin trimmed with what used to be fishing nets, plastic bottles and strands of discarded wool. Other companies also occasionally mention similar materials in their press releases, although not on such a large scale.