Volkswagen Partners with Revoltech to Develop Hemp-Based Synthetic Leather for Greener Vehicles

Volkswagen collaborates with Revoltech, a German startup, to develop a leather alternative made from hemp for car interiors, aiming to reduce the ecological footprint of its vehicles.

Volkswagen has announced that its innovative hemp-based material might be integrated into their vehicles by 2028. The company also stated that this new material can be manufactured in their current facilities and is recyclable or compostable after its lifecycle ends.

Volkswagen experiments with synthetic leather made from hemp

According to Volkswagen, the material is crafted from hemp byproducts that are left over from food production and would typically be discarded. VW also states that this material is both vegan and does not contain oil, setting it apart from some other synthetic leather options marketed by car manufacturers as vegan but that still utilize oil-based components.

"During our quest for innovative materials, we remain highly receptive to fresh concepts from a variety of sectors," stated Kai Grünitz, who leads the Technical Development division at the VW brand, in a press release.

Volkswagen explores using hemp-derived artificial leather

Car manufacturers are increasingly abandoning leather due to environmental concerns. Volvo has committed to eliminating leather from its electric vehicles by 2030, and Kia also intends to gradually eliminate leather use. Additionally, Polestar is exploring different sustainable and recycled materials to reduce the ecological footprint of production, a significant issue for electric vehicles, which do not emit exhaust pollutants.

The leather sector is contesting assertions that substitute materials are greener. In January, the trade association One 4 Leather released a declaration asserting that leather boasts a smaller carbon footprint compared to the synthetic upholstery suggested for electric vehicles. They argue that since cattle are already bred for dairy and meat production, utilizing their hides represents a form of upcycling what would otherwise be discarded. However, this perspective might better support the case for reducing beef and milk consumption rather than persisting in the use of cow hides for car interiors.

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