Vegan (plant-based) upholstery?
03-25-2019, 07:13 AM
#1
Vegan (plant-based) upholstery?
I was recently told that Mercedes' MB-Tex upholstery for the past few years is plant-based. I can't find a lot on the Internet to support this other than a few articles about "vegan cars", which do not outright confirm or deny this assertion.Anyone know anything about this?
Last edited by fganter; 03-25-2019 at 06:40 PM.
03-26-2019, 08:22 AM
#2
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2016 E350 Sport
OK, I'll bite. The PETA website's "Guide to Leather-Free Car Interiors" (Feb.2015) lists the Smart Car with manual transmission (Fortwo C453) as the only Mercedes with a leather free interior (although the steering wheel is leather). While I see them on the streets, I haven't peered into a Smart Car, so don't know if this means the Smart has a cloth interior or some sort of pleather seating material.
MB-Tex -- as a material -- has been so successful for decades, I can't imagine MB abandoning it without considerable forethought and years of testing. I also can't imagine that MB would create a separate version of MB-Tex just for the Smart Car.
We've read about plant-based plastics for decades now (long before the Vegan movement, I should quickly add). Many cars (if not all) now use these for dashboard components, etc. (see the list of Brands by the dozens...https://www.peta.org/living/humane-h...erior-options/ .
I suppose we should expect to see more of this in future. I have no problem with that, really. Although I don't think PETA should presume to take any credit for it. Technology and efficiency drives these changes, not some life-style that tries to convince us that humans are not "Omnivores."
MB-Tex -- as a material -- has been so successful for decades, I can't imagine MB abandoning it without considerable forethought and years of testing. I also can't imagine that MB would create a separate version of MB-Tex just for the Smart Car.
We've read about plant-based plastics for decades now (long before the Vegan movement, I should quickly add). Many cars (if not all) now use these for dashboard components, etc. (see the list of Brands by the dozens...https://www.peta.org/living/humane-h...erior-options/ .
I suppose we should expect to see more of this in future. I have no problem with that, really. Although I don't think PETA should presume to take any credit for it. Technology and efficiency drives these changes, not some life-style that tries to convince us that humans are not "Omnivores."
Last edited by DFWdude; 03-26-2019 at 08:49 AM.
03-26-2019, 08:38 AM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Smart cars? The day we're left with that size as an alternative, I'll quit driving and take a bus!
