Coca-Cola, Ford Team To Turn Recyclable Plastic Bottles Into Car Seat Fabric

Ah, the simple plastic bottle: one of the most contentious packaging methods that consumer products companies face in an age of sustainable resource management.

Since 2009, Coca-Cola has used recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles made of what it calls PlantBottle to reduce its footprint related to petroleum-generated carbon emissions – and to create a revenue stream out of what would normally be considered waste.

So far, the "technology" has showed up mainly in packaging – including both Coke's various branded beverages and those of customers like H.J. Heinz.

Now, Ford Motor Co. is experimenting with a scheme to use the material for the fabric interior of the Ford Fusion Energi electric vehicle. You can't find this in a showroom: So far, it has only created a demonstration model that will be shown off at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Scientists from both companies worked together to create a PlantBottle-derived fiber that can be woven into automotive-grade fabric – which can be uses in seats, or carpeting. Ford has already played around with other recycled and renewable materials in its Energi sedans, including reusing old denim in the carpet liner and sourcing soybeans for seat-cushion foam. It takes about 39, clear-plastic 16-ounce bottles to create the cloth-covered seats shown in the photo.

"We hope to drive awareness that PlantBottle Technology can be used across the entire polyester universe – in everything from the inside of a car, to carpet, to clothing," said Scott Vitters, general manager of PlantBottle for Coca-Cola. "Ford is highlighting the potential for a future of renewably sourced, low-carbon polyester that can be recycled again and again."

Coke's master plan calls for it to use PlantBottle – a type of PET plastic that uses plant materials to replace approximately 30 percent of the petroleum content – for all of its PET plastic bottles by 2020. The bottle itself is recyclable.

Right now, that represents about 60 percent of the company's packaging globally. So far, Coke has shipped more than 18 billion bottles that use the materials. Heinz, which uses the material in certain ketchup containers, has shipped about 200 million bottles using it.

Is PlantBottle just some marketing ploy intended to make Coca-Cola look good, while making money in the process? Earlier this fall, the company was asked to revise the marketing materials to promote the material in Denmark. Apparently, the PlantBottle material it uses in that country includes a smaller amount of the plant materials than implied, reports the International Business Times. Apparently, the company is taking action to address the greenwashing criticisms that were raised.

Meanwhile, you'll continue to see Coca-Cola concentrate on additional alliances like the Ford one that could turn what started out as a sustainable packaging initiative into a source of new revenue.

The video embedded below provides more details about the Ford relationship.