Mercedes-Benz is taking a big step toward sustainability with the new electric GLC. It’s the first car in the world to feature an interior certified by The Vegan Society.
That’s right. The same organization that’s been certifying food, cosmetics and clothing for decades has now put its stamp of approval on a vehicle interior.
The GLC’s optional “Vegan Package” covers just about everything you touch inside the cabin. We’re talking about the seats, steering wheel, headliner, pillars, door panels, sun visors, console, instrument panel and even the carpets. All of these surfaces are made with MB Tex or textiles that are free of animal products. Many also contain a high percentage of recycled content.
Mercedes-Benz didn’t just swap out leather and call it a day. Every material went through a rigorous audit process. The Vegan Society tested roughly 100 different components to make sure no hidden animal byproducts or additives slipped through. According to the company, if any materials raised red flags during testing, they were re-engineered with suppliers to remove or replace the problem components.
Markus Schäfer, Chief Technology Officer at Mercedes-Benz, explained it this way: “At Mercedes-Benz, we don’t take shortcuts – instead, we go the extra mile. The certification of our vegan interior by The Vegan Society underlines this approach: transparency and trust are very important to us. Our customers can rest assured that our vegan interior materials do not contain any animal products and meet very high testing standards. We are delighted to be able to offer them this assurance through our partnership with an independent and globally recognized certification organization.”
This project was no small undertaking. It took more than two years of collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and The Vegan Society to achieve certification. Gabriela Chalkia Jackson of The Vegan Society called it “a new milestone” and said it is the first time the group has certified a vehicle interior.
For automakers, this is a big deal. Leather has long been the gold standard of luxury interiors. But as more consumers demand alternatives, car manufacturers are under pressure to innovate. A Vegan Society certified interior can help set Mercedes-Benz apart from its competitors and assure drivers their cars contain no animal products.
Still, we’d be remiss not to point out that labeling MB Tex as “vegan” is a bit misleading. While some new, innovative materials are plant based, MB Tex is not one of them. In fact, it’s straight up vinyl.
Let’s see if other automakers follow Mercedes-Benz’s lead.
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