How is plastic waste turn into premium interiors for Land Rover?

Inside state-of-the-art treatment centers the waste is analyzed, treated and prepared to feed into a chemical plant, where the nylon waste is broken to its original raw material using a chemical treatment process, known as depolymerization. The raw nylon material is then turned into the yarn, known as ECONYL.

Other by-products such as non-nylon, metallic materials or copper sulphate which is used for preventing seagrass growing on fishing nets, are removed and sent to alternative industries for recycling.

The ECONYL regenerated nylon is created by Aquafil - a global leader in the synthetic fibres industry. Aquafil reclaim nylon waste by from all over the world. In a single year, the company recycles as much as 40,000 tonnes of waste, with the recycling process reducing the global warming impact of nylon by 90% compared with the material produced from oil.

For every 10,000 tonnes of ECONYL raw material produced, 70,000 barrels of crude oil are saved and 65,100 tonnes of carbon emissions equivalent are avoided.

Next-generation Jaguar and Land Rover models will feature floor mats and trims made with ECONYL fiber from recycled industrial plastic, fabric offcuts from clothing manufacturers, fishing nets from the farming industry, and those abandoned in the ocean - known as ‘ghost nets’.

Currently, Land Rover offers a premium Eucalyptus textile interior on Range Rover Evoque while Evoque, Range Rover and Jaguar’s all-electric I-PACE benefit from optional Kvadrat – a high-quality material that combines durable wool with a suede cloth made from 53 recycled plastic bottles per vehicle.