Asahi Kasei makes wrong assumption about leather and sustainability
Automotive interiors developer Asahi Kasei Europe has published the details of a recent survey it carried out with Cologne-based market research institute SKOPOS of car owners in Germany, France, the UK and Italy. A total 1,200 consumers took part.
The survey found that 60% of respondents said the interior would be an important factor in their decision over which car to buy next, 5% more than in previous surveys.
Next, it pointed out that 57% of respondents think that sustainable materials for seat covers and surfaces will become increasingly important in the next five-to-ten years, but it followed this with a statement suggesting that, in parallel with this, “the need for real leather equipment will fall drastically”.
Allied to this desire for sustainability, Asahi Kasei Europe took from the responses to the survey that people want automotive interior surfaces to be “attractive to the eye and smooth to the skin”. Its communication of the results suggests that it can see little room for leather, either in terms of sustainability or desirability.
Asahi Kasei Europe makes synthetic materials including cellulosic fibre, microfibre, spunbound nonwoves and premium stretch fibre and automotive interiors is one of its key markets. It has a vested interest, therefore, in convincing automotive original equipment manufacturers and consumers to use synthetic materials instead of leather.
On seeing a report of the survey, industry body Leather UK immediately picked up on the suggested corollary between consumers’ desire for sustainable materials in car interiors and a decrease in demand for leather and drew the conclusion that, based on this survey, consumers do not recognise the sustainability of leather, particularly compared to synthetics.
However, Leather UK immediately also made the point that this is yet another example of how important it is for the leather industry to take up the task of explaining in the public square of the benefits and appeal of leather and defending its reputation.
