Seat’s Cupra brand says it is working with specialist firm Seaqual Initiative on the manufacture of the sports seats for its Born model, using upcycled plastic materials found in the Mediterranean Sea.
The seats will be created from a recycled polymer fiber fabric called Seaqaul Yarn, which is produced from marine litter found on beaches and the ocean floor and surface, as well as rivers and estuaries. The material is collected by a clean-up program and sorted into different material types, with the plastics being cleaned, treated and recycled into yarn that is claimed to have almost identical physical properties to virgin polyester.
Cupra director of strategy, business development and operations Antonino Labate commented, “With the Cupra Born, our first 100% electric vehicle, we’re entering a new electric era. The partnership with Seaqual Initiative to create the seats for this new model demonstrates that sustainability, innovation and contemporary design are a perfect combination. Cupra is a brand that inspires the world from Barcelona, which is why we are committed to circular-economy projects and helping preserve a natural resource which is very close to us, the Mediterranean.”
The Cupra Born, the brand’s first all-electric car, will also be Cupra’s first vehicle to be produced net CO2 -neutral. The vehicle will be manufactured in Zwickau, Germany, based on VW’s modular electric platform (MEB), where energy from renewable sources is used in the supply chain. The remaining emissions are offset by environmental and project investments certified to the highest standards.
