CALLUM’s new recipe for a sustainable car interior

Design and engineering consultancy CALLUM have shared it’s Simultaneous Multiple Surfaces (SMS) design study that suggests food items like coffee, eggs and walnuts could be found in more than just your shopping basket.

A team of designers and engineers have thought beyond materials already under consideration to identify some more sustainable options when it comes to manufacturing a car interior. Using a retromod Porsche 911 interior as the basis of the research, Charlotte Jones and Ian Callum lead a team that identified coffee pulp, eggshells, red lentils, walnuts and rice as viable materials for a car interior in 2030.

FOOD WASTE

Thousands of tonnes of food is wasted in the UK every day, so CALLUM consulted with green-tech company Ottan to explore the more appropriate materials capable of replacing plastic while meeting the engineering and design requirements of a car. It was found that eggshells mixed with resin to create a smooth opaque material with a matt or glossy surface could meet the temperature and wear specifications needed. This could then be used in applications such as the trim surround for window switches. By adding walnut shells to the mix, the recycled content of the materials increased to 84% from 78%.

Out of date rice or lentils can be turned into a smooth translucent material that can be used as lamp covers or illuminated switches. Coffee pulp could replace traditional plastics for a glossy, decorative trim such as dashboard inserts.

These sustainable materials can still offer vivid colours. CALLUM used purple carrot pulp to produce a mulberry-like colour for trim parts.

CLOTHING WASTE

When it comes to upholstery, a blend of wear resistance, comfort and colour fastness is required. For this, CALLUM opted for preloved materials that would usually go to landfill. Charlotte Jones, CALLUM’s head of materials and sustainability said: “Around the world, we consume roughly 62 million tonnes of textiles a year and around 87 per cent of the total fibre input used for clothing is either landfilled or incinerated.”

“Companies such as Planq take jeans, then shred and press them with potato or corn starch to create a hard veneer that could be used for seat shells or dash centres. The SMS design study was created by CALLUM to illustrate that there is another way, and we can support manufacturers and suppliers identify engineered alternatives that end consumers are increasingly looking for.”

PLASTIC WASTE

The seat centre facings in the CALLUM design study use Camira, which is made from marine plastic waste such as polyester. The bolster surfaces are covered in Féline, a soft material produced from pet bottles. Each offers no weight penalty, another factor considered for the restomod on which the study is based, and each material can also be recycled again if needed. A material called Econyl, a hard-wearing fabric that is made using nylon carpets or fishing nets, was proposed for the car’s carpet.

This SMS study is a concept, but CALLUM have selected materials that could meet the automotive requirements and be production feasible by 2030, with they next step to trial the materials in upcoming projects.

Ian Callum, CALLUM co-founder and design director, added: “More of our customers are starting to think about sustainable projects and put an emphasis on the circular economy. With others, we might nudge them down that path, highlighting the business benefits of making a more sustainable choice.”

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