The recyclable microfiber Dinamica® provides sustainable luxury for automotive interior surfaces
Düsseldorf, October 27, 2020 – Tightening environmental regulations are challenging the automotive industry. Dinamica®, a sustainable and recyclable premium microfiber suede is providing comfort and luxury while supporting the automotive OEMs to achieve their ambitious environmental goals. Being a pioneer in sustainability for more than two decades, the material is covering the interior of well-recognized recent car models by global OEMs like the Mercedes-Benz AVTR concept car, the Volkswagen ID.3 or the new Audi Q2.
The automotive interior is becoming a decisive factor in the car user”s buying decision. A survey conducted by Asahi Kasei Europe in October 2019 revealed, that within the interior the end user”s need towards surface materials that are premium and yet sustainable is rapidly growing. 57% of the respondents think that sustainable materials for seat covers and surfaces will be becoming increasingly important in the next five to ten years, while the need for real leather equipment will fall drastically.
- 0% less emissions and energy consumption
Miko, an Italian subsidiary of US-based Sage Automotive Interiors (member of the Asahi Kasei Group) is the producer of the ecological microfiber Dinamica®. The material is mostly covering automotive seats and headrests, headliners, door panels or steering wheels. The recycled polyester contained in the microfiber derives from polyester fibres (T-shirts, fibres, etc.) and PET-Plastic (bottles, packaging materials, etc.). Recycling polyester means a reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 80% compared to the traditional petrol-based polyester production process. Dinamica® is produced using an innovative water-based manufacturing process in which no harmful chemical solvents are used. This process compacts the fibres, making them elastic and resistant. The use of neutral, non-toxic dyes and recycled polyester is a further guarantee of the natural approach adopted.
Miko is one of the pioneering Italians Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of sustainability. Already in 1997, together with Asahi Kasei, it patented the Dinamica® raw material made from recycled plastic. Further actions, aimed to support sustainable development, have followed, such as quality and environmental certifications (Environmental Product Declaration – EPD®, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, International Automotive Task Force – IATF 16949, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, “PETA-approved Vegan”) and the CSR Report focused on the issue of all-round sustainability.
The attention to sustainability and the refined look of Dinamica® have conquered the automotive world. In particular, prestigious car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, VW Group, Jaguar-Land Rover, Volvo and Chevrolet – to name just a few – choose Dinamica® with a growing awareness to cover their new models. Recent projects developed with Dinamica® interiors include the Taycan, the first full-electric car by Porsche, the Mercedes-Benz AVTR concept car, the new Corvette C8 Stingray, the Volkswagen ID.3 and the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer. According to the brand-new collaboration with Audi, the new Q2 is covered by Dinamica®.
Miko S.r.l is a leading Italian company which produces Dinamica®, the first ecological microfiber with unique characteristics suitable for a variety of applications. Miko has created various solutions for the automotive market with recyclable microfibers that are environmentally friendly and comply with the highest standards. Dinamica® is suitable for seats and backrests, as well as for panels, roof lining and door interiors. Miko is a subsidiary of US-based Sage Automotive Interiors and a member of the Asahi Kasei Group.
The Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified technology company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business. The Material division encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes division provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care division includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With more than 40,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries and achieved sales of 17.6 billion euros (2,151.6 billion yen) in the fiscal year 2019 (April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020). Asahi Kasei is Japan”s largest polyamide supplier and is one of only four fully integrated polyamide manufacturers worldwide – able to produce PA 6.6 completely from monomer to compound.
Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified technology company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business. The Material division encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes division provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care division includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With approximately 40,689 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries and achieved sales of 17.6 billion euros (2,151.6 billion yen) in the fiscal year 2019 (April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020).
Asahi Kasei is “Creating for Tomorrow” with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world. For more information, visit:
