Dow has formulated a breakthrough option of polyolefin elastomers (POE) based artificial leather - a solution to address the automotive industry’s need to shift towards increasingly animal-free product alternatives to leather, said the company.
The POE alternative leather option has been commercialized by HIUV Materials Technology, a China-based partner and qualified by an electric car manufacturer in their auto seatings application.
Key benefits of Dow’s POE leather option include:
An ultra-soft tactility with better color stability, empowering designers with more flexibility on the choice of color, especially light colors.
Good aging and low temperature resistance, meeting the strict requirements of the automotive industry.
Elimination of hazardous chemicals, plasticizers, and heavy-metals materials.
Low volatile organic compounds (VOC) and odor.
25% to 40% lighter weight than PVC leather due to lower density.
“With Dow’s long-standing expertise in materials science, we are thrilled to bring this high-performance animal-free leather option to market.” said Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific commercial vice president of Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. “We look forward to more value-chain collaborations with forward-looking brands to discover new possibilities for our POE leather option in the automotive market and beyond.”
Beyond automotive, this innovative option can be applied in other applications including sporting goods, furniture, and fashion and accessories, fulfilling brand owners’ requirements for a new option that meets the stringent demand for product appearance and customer experience with cost-effective positioning.
For more information about innovative, cutting-edge solutions that keep the world moving, visit MobilityScience™ | Dow Inc.
We remind, Dow Inc. said it plans to build a world-scale carbonate solvents plant on the US Gulf Coast, using captured carbon dioxide from ethylene oxide (EO) production. The plant will serve customers in the lithium-ion battery sector, in which carbonate solvents are used a component in electrolytes.
Dow is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023.
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