I believe with all my heart that the only animals that should be found inside your car should be your adorable fur babies, either sitting beside you on the front seat gazing happily at the passing scenery, or sleeping contentedly at the back.
Animal skins, or leather used as seat, steering wheel or gearshifter covers, are always sourced from farmed animals—which run against the very caring spirit you bestow on your animal companions. So, while you may be lavishing tender love (often, expensively so) on your animal companions, your butt, back, and hands are scrunching on the skin of a once-living sentient being that had his/her life unceremoniously and cruelly taken, just for your comfort, every time you drive a car that uses leather interiors sourced from animals.
For every new car that boasts of genuine leather interiors, up to three cows’ lives are sacrificed. It is a heart-breaking practice that the current industrial revolution has perpetuated, the result of the outdated thinking that genuine animal leather equates to luxury and good taste.
What’s even more tragic is that, as the automotive industry already offers a plethora of synthetic or man-made alternatives, with qualities that approximate—or even exceed—those of animal-sourced leather, the world’s automakers still largely offer animal leather interiors as part of their “luxury” lines.
Although it’s quite heartening to see the growing global demand for synthetic, manmade, or faux leather, such growth is too slow for my taste, and there’s still a long, long road to go before the use of animal-sourced leather is totally discarded. That’s why it’s so important for buyers to keep the demand coming, for them to keep on supporting the automakers making earnest efforts to make their cars not just environment-friendly but also cruelty-free—at least on the inside.
I’d like to use this space to acknowledge some of those automakers who use synthetic or faux leather, thus saving lives of innocent creatures without scrimping on the comfort and luxury of their vehicles.
Lexus, for one, has pioneered the Lexus NuLuxe interior using high-quality synthetic leather material. It is, as Lexus claims, man-made leather upholstery that possesses the look and feel of animal-sourced leather without the added cost and care. US-based Lexus dealer Earnhardt Lexus shared that the eco-friendly Lexus NuLuxe uses an innovative manufacturing process that produces no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and reduces carbon emissions by as much as 65 percent compared to (animal-sourced) leather.
Lexus Philippines’ Jade Sison confirms that Lexus does offer models—usually the executive variants—with synthetic leather in the local market. She adds: “Our RZ battery electric vehicle has ultrasuede for its interior. It is a sustainable suede partly using biomaterials and recycled PET.”
Another high-profile global luxury brand, Audi, which has recently been aggressively campaigning its electric vehicle the e-Tron GT, disclosed that it has incorporated sustainable elements in the EV. The model does offer leather-free packages, in which case the seats are upholstered either with a combination of artificial leather and Kaskade, or with a mixture of artificial leather and Dinamica. Kaskade and Dinamica are made of polyester fibers sourced from plastic bottles, textiles, or residual fibers from selvages. e-Tron models also offer carpets and mats made from Econyl, a nylon fiber weave derived from surplus fabrics and carpets, and even fishing nets.
Moreover, Audi has also collaborated with world-renowned fashion designer Stella McCartney, the industry leader in the use of materials that have the least impact on the environment. As such, she played a key role in the launch of the 100% electric Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT.
Porsche, which is represented in the Philippines by PGA Cars, which has been among the leading brands in the electrification of luxury sports cars, has also ventured into sustainable cruelty-free materials and designs.
Mercedes-Benz, as revealed by Auto Nation Group (ANG), its official distributor in the Philippines, has recently brought in the new GLC 200 4Matic mild hybrid luxury SUV. All seats, including the heated front, are Artico artificial leather, a man-made substitute for animal hides.
Early this year, Spencer Yu, president of SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp, the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, introduced the new BMW iX3 M Sport, a full EV sport activity vehicle. Yu proudly announced that this EV has been fitted with “man-made seat upholstery that has the same suppleness, the same feel as (animal-based) leather but all reducing the carbon footprint. No cows were sacrificed in the making of the car (seats).”
In 2021, the BMW-owned British car brand MINI announced that it would be discontinuing its production of leather interiors, and the new seats would be made entirely from recycled fabric, with an underlining that’s 70 percent recycled. Vegan business magazine Vegconomist wrote that the company has aimed for a more timeless design, rather than one that would become outdated after a season.
I do hope more and more of the world’s auto manufacturers would join the ranks of the makers of kind and compassionate vehicle interiors. Hey, your car might have ‘killer looks,’ but wouldn’t it feel so much better if, deep inside, it has a heart for all animals?
