• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Interior Plastics Get Moo-re Weird

August 22, 2011 By Nadeem Muaddi

I’m waiting for Kia to start trimming its cars in squirrel tails, because the list of things that automakers are using to manufacture their cabins are getting weirder by the day.

We’ve already told you about Toyota’s use of sugarcane, Nissan’s use of water bottles, Ford’s use of recycled jeans pants and Hyundai’s use of volcanic rock. Now, the University of Alberta is developing new ways to use cow byproducts in cars – and I’m not talking about leather. They’re making interior plastics and headliners out of ground up cow carcasses.

The Edmonton Journal explains:

“I would like to have all the plastic [in a car] made from renewable materials like this, that would be the best scenario,” Bressler said. [David Bressler is associate professor with the U of A’s department of agricultural, food and nutrition science.]

“But I think the automotive industry would be happy with 20 to 30 per cent.”

The North American food processing industry buries 5,000 tonnes of animal carcasses every week, which could be enough to produce about 3,500 tonnes of goo – the basic molecular building blocks extracted from the carcasses.

But that wouldn’t come close to the amount need for plastics in vehicles.

“The demand is orders of magnitude larger than could be produced. The auto industry could absorb whatever we could produce and it wouldn’t make a hiccup.”

But the bovine-based plastic should earn a premium price, and it could be a better use for the raw material than simply using it for biogas or fertilizer. [more]

I suppose recycling dead cows is better than burying them. It makes cars more Earth-friendly and creates an industry where one didn’t already exist – which, hopefully, means more jobs. I just wonder what happens to those that have Mad Cow Disease and how that might affect the cars they’re used in. Aren’t Toyota’s acceleration pedals made from plastic? Just sayin…

Filed Under: Archive, Green Upholstery, Odd News Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, University of Alberta

Primary Sidebar

anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • Leather Craft
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • Big Z Fabric
  • Albright's Supply
  • Keyston Bros
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Hyde Leather

THR Favorites

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - 1973 Ford F100

Putting The Hog Ring Design Studio to Use

Since launching The Hog Ring Design Studio in … [more] about Putting The Hog Ring Design Studio to Use

The Hog Ring - Customs by Vos Builds a Masterpiece

Customs by Vos Builds a Masterpiece

What does it take to create an award-winning … [more] about Customs by Vos Builds a Masterpiece

4 Measuring Tools Every Trim Shop Needs

Measure twice and cut once – it’s good … [more] about 4 Measuring Tools Every Trim Shop Needs

10 Duct Tape DIY Upholstery Disasters

Though duct tape can fix a lot of things, … [more] about 10 Duct Tape DIY Upholstery Disasters

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Sid Chavers 1932 Ford

Photo: Cadillac-Inspired ’32 Ford Bench Seat

This Cadillac-inspired 1932 Ford 3W seat was … [more] about Photo: Cadillac-Inspired ’32 Ford Bench Seat

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

How to Install a Top on a 2011-2012 Camaro

In 2011, Chevrolet introduced the convertible … [more] about How to Install a Top on a 2011-2012 Camaro

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • The Viral Headrest Gun Safe Is Going Nationwide with Tint World
  • TMG and Haartz to Open North Carolina Plant, Creating 125 New Jobs
  • Everything We Covered in June 2025
  • How OEM+ Auto Tops is Redefining Convertible Top Manufacturing with In-House Mold Production
  • From Factory Match to Full Custom: LEATHER CRAFT Has It Covered

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in