I wanted to research Ford’s use of recycled plastics in their manufacturing of new vehicles on this important Earth Day. I found this helpful paragraph on the internet from a website called www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com that states:
Ford
Uses recycled plastics to create upholstery for passenger seat cushions in numerous models. For example, the seat fabric for each Focus is made with approximately 22 plastic water bottles. The company used more than 50 million pounds of post-consumer recycled plastics on the exterior of Ford vehicles made in North America—that equals nearly 18 pounds per vehicle on average. In the U.K., Ford also collects damaged bumpers to make plastic materials for replacement bumpers.
Exactly how does a plastic water bottle turns into a seat cushion?
Ford has created the Ford Plastics and Biomaterials Research Group that researches and develops sustainable material alternatives to petroleum based plastics and composites (and foams), including renewable (bio-based) and/or recycled content. One product that they use is called “REPREVE”, a high-performance fiber developed by a company called Unifi. In 2017, Ford is announcing that the recycled material would be used in the F-150, the best-selling vehicle in the country. By substituting this recycled material in the F-150 Ford will divert more than 9 million plastic bottles from landfills. Ford is the only automaker to use REPREVE (as of 2017), made from 100 percent recycled materials including plastic bottles, in its vehicles. The company is currently using REPREVE in five vehicles around the world, making it a truly global material, and represents Ford’s larger commitment to sustainable, recyclable and renewable materials.
Here is a video from Ford explaining how they use Repreve: