When you imagine the inside of a luxury automobile, you’re probably picturing leather – right? Well that may have been the case until now, but that’s beginning to change.
The latest upscale automaker to offer an alternative to animal leather is Land Rover, which is offering a luxurious fabric upholstery option on the new Range Rover Velar.
Described as “a premium alternative to leather,” the option is priced above the standard leather on the Velar R-Dynamic SE, but below the top Windsor leather option. Aussie website Drive reports that the wool blend fabrics are sourced from Australia and New Zealand and prepared by Danish supplier Kvdrat, while the “suedecloth” is made from recycled plastic.
“The attitude towards animal by-products is changing,” Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern told Drive. “That whole world of luxury is becoming more sophisticated and people are looking for ways to reconcile the way we use the world to create these products, things like fabrics that are more sustainable and have a better sustainable footprint.”
“Personally, I’d be quite happy to move away from leather tomorrow. I don’t like that we have to slaughter all those cows to create leather,” added McGovern. “More importantly I think that fabric gives the opportunity to create a different look and feel.”
Land Rover isn’t the first. You know that luxurious and sporty Alcantara offered on so many supercars? Yeah, that’s not actually suede. It’s mostly polyester, with a little polyurethane mixed in for good measure (and that grippy nape). More specifically, Tesla recently announced it was moving away from leather in its EVs, Maserati offers fabric and silk trim from Ermenegildo Zegna, and as US website The Drive points out, Bentley is evaluating similar options after meeting with customers in California.
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