Page 76 - TEXtalks. November-December 2022

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Auraloop: A new sustainable
100% recyclable polyester
material for automobiles
Auraloop is a brand-new range of cushioning solutions made from an innovative structure of
Polyester-based fibers, 100% recyclable, aimed at the mobility markets. Auraloop offers increased
performance in terms of thermal comfort and durability. R&D teams within the Faurecia seating activity
have recently penned an exclusive development agreement with Indorama Ventures, one of the global
leaders in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) production and recycling. This partnership between Indorama
Ventures and Faurecia, a company of FORVIA Group which is the seventh largest automotive industry
supplier, aims to develop Auraloop, a new range of cushioning solutions for the mobility markets
intended to replace polyurethane foam currently used in car seats.
Development of this product, which paves the way towards wider commercial release in two or three
years, falls within the FORVIA Group strategy of going carbon neutral by 2045. For this, the group seeks
to root its commercial offer fully in the circular economy, with the development and production of
sustainable, cutting-edge materials under the banner of MATERI’ACT. Auraloop also offers a range of
new perspectives regarding seating comfort; thanks to a more open fiber structure and permeability for
air than current seating pad solutions, the breathability of seating is improved, enabling a better passive
thermal regulation of occupants. The durability of seating is also increased by limited subsidence of the
seat over its lifetime. The market for comfort aboard vehicles is constantly growing. The development of
Auraloop falls within this dynamic, with a product offering significantly improved performances in terms of
static, dynamic, and welcoming comfort.
This highly promising new solution has today sparked a great deal of interest from clients of Faurecia,
illustrating their desire to integrate materials combining comfort and the circular economy into future
vehicles. In the mobility sector, Indorama Ventures is already a market leader in yarns and fabrics for tires
and airbags. With the new project Auraloop, its offer expands, serving the new dynamic market of car
seat with a component of improved performance and comfort and considering the
concept of sustainability.
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Autoneum A new
system coming full
circle on sustainability
Autoneum has created a fully recyclable carpet system made of 100-per cent polyester. The carpet system has
a high recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) content, a latex-free manufacturing process, and less
energy-intensive production. In light of ever more stringent emissions regulations towards greener and electri-
fied mobility, vehicle manufacturers are placing increasing importance on the sustainability performance of
individual components across the entire product life cycle.
Autoneum’s new environment friendly carpet systems of 100% polyester feature a high content of recycled raw
materials, and their zero waste and latex-free manufacturing process significantly reduces CO emissions and
2
water and energy consumption.
Additionally, by offering a fully recyclable carpet system, Autoneum is already supporting customers in an area
whose importance for an improved sustainability performance of cars will increase even further in the future: the
end-of-life recycling of electric vehicles. Autoneum’s fully recyclable carpet systems ensure a closed material
loop and are thus tangible proof of the Company’s long-term commitment to improving the sustainability
performance of its products and manufacturing processes. The 100% polyester carpets build on the existing
lightweight and particularly sustainable Autoneum Pure technologies: the carpet surface, for example, is made
of Di-Light or Relive-1, while Hybrid-Acoustics PET is used for the decoupler.
Guidelines on sustainability for easier
understanding of the Higg Index
Consumer interest in the sustainability impact of their purchases is increasing – especially regarding clothing.
An increasing number of national and international companies in the textile industry use the High Material
Sustainability Index (Higg Index) in their communication about sustainability performance. The Higg Index
measures the environmental impact of the materials used in clothing. However, to consumers not informed
about the meaning of the scores awarded on the Higg Index, such scores are unclear and can
easily become misleading.
This is why the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Norwegian Consumer
Authority (NCA) have jointly issued guidelines for companies in the textile industry on how to use the
Higg Index in their marketing statements.
Although they are based on European regulations on unfair commercial practices, the guidelines are not legally
binding. This means that even if a company complies with the guidelines, its marketing activities can still be
considered misleading – as the ACM and NCA underscored. In recent years, the ACM investigated
sustainability claims in certain industries, including the textile industry. The NCA also conducted several
investigations. In one of those investigations, the NCA concluded that a Norwegian trader's use of the Higg
Index in its marketing was misleading and that, in general, using Higg Index scores in marketing can easily be
misleading. Thus, the ACM guidelines can simplify the customers' understanding of the sustainability index.
November/December 2022