Ford Motor Co. Boosts Use of Recycled PET

Ford Motor Co. says it plans to significantly increase its use of post-consumer plastics in its vehicles through the use of Repreve fabric, which is manufactured from post-consumer PET bottles. The company expects to divert nearly 2 million post-consumer plastic bottles in its automobiles, starting with its 2012 Focus Electric, the first vehicle to feature branded Repreve's seat fabric made from a hybrid blend of recycled plastic bottles and post-consumer scrap.

“Ford is committed to delivering vehicles with leading fuel efficiency, while targeting at least 25 percent clean technology in interior materials across our lineup,” says Carol Kordich, lead designer of sustainable materials for Ford. “The Focus Electric highlights this commitment as Ford’s first gas-free vehicle, and the first in the automotive industry to use branded Repreve.”

“After decades of education, the United States PET bottle recycling rate is only at 29 percent, about half the rate of Europe,” says Roger Berrier, president and COO of Unifi, the producer of Repreve. “We hope this recycling initiative with Ford will help raise visibility around the importance of recycling with a goal to drive recycling rates to 100 percent, diverting millions of plastic bottles from entering the waste stream and potentially back into Repreve-branded fibers.”