The Coca-Cola Company and Ford Motor Company are collaborating on an interior vehicle fabric made from the same renewable material used to produce Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle Technology for its plastic packaging.

The two companies recently unveiled a Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid research vehicle which uses the first-ever fibre that can be woven into durable, automotive-grade PET fabric from PlantBottle material for interior fabric surfaces covering seat cushions, seat backs, head restraints, door panel inserts and headliners.

The vehicle marks the first time PlantBottle Technology has been applied beyond packaging and is part of a commitment by the two companies to develop innovative new products produced from renewable materials.

“By using PlantBottle Technology in a plug-in hybrid, Ford and Coca-Cola are showing the broad potential to leverage renewable materials that help replace petroleum and other fossil fuels, reducing the overall environmental impact of future vehicles,” said John Viera, Global Director of Sustainability and Vehicle Environmental Matters at Ford.

Both companies use PET in a variety of products including plastic bottles, fabrics and carpets. This, they say, provided a natural opportunity to bring together both recyclable and renewable technologies.

“This collaboration with Ford demonstrates that PlantBottle Technology can be applied anywhere PET plastic is traditionally used, but with a lighter footprint on the planet,” said Scott Vitters, General Manager, PlantBottle Packaging Platform, The Coca-Cola Company. “We are pleased to share this technology with Ford, and look forward to continuing to expand the application of PlantBottle Technology.”