A Deep Dive Into The Future Of Materials, Volvo Cars and The Future Laboratory Work Hand In Hand!

 With the current material world constantly evolving and consumers being more conscious, designers worldwide are continuously sourcing for the best materials that can be used for luxury products in the world while maintaining sustainability. These conclusions are spotted in The Rise of Conscious Design: a Volvo Cars and leading trend forecasting company, The Future Laboratory collaboration.

Alongside the report findings, Volvo Cars has also announced that its new fully electric models will be leather-free - with the C40 Recharge taking up the first debut of this idea. It is reported that Volvo intends to launch a completely new portfolio of electric cars with aims to provide only fully electric vehicles by 2030. 

Additionally, Volvo Cars is working actively to find high-quality and sustainable sources for a list of materials currently used in the industry. By 2023, the company aims for 25 percent of the materials used in new Volvo cars to consist of recycled and bio-based materials, as part of their goal of being a fully circular business by 2040. 

“We have a vision of where we need to go in the future, with the first step to ensure we harness sustainable, natural and recycled materials. The next challenge is to change what we do with these materials, whether that’s making car parts that last forever, re-enter the circular economy or go back into the earth,” said Volvo Cars head of design Robin Page.

In the future, Volvo Cars will offer its customers alternatives to their leather interior - such as Nordico, new material by the brand which consists of textiles made from materials such as PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests in Sweden and Finland as well as recycled corks from the wine industry, to name a few. 

Volvo Cars will also still offer wool blend options, which are derived from certified suppliers that source responsibly. This allows the company to ensure complete transparency in its wool supply chain, prioritising full traceability and animal welfare.