To expand its support for high-end and luxurious automotive interiors, BIG Yarns has completed its first industrial production runs of virgin polyester BCF yarns for automotive carpet to complement its line of polyamide PA6 superior yarns.

There is a growing market in PET for automotive interior applications, with polyester allowing automotive OEMs and tier 1 to develop products that, from the outset, consider eco-design by building Mono-polymer carpets and flooring that are 100 per cent recyclable at End of Life (EOL). These materials are helping to ensure improved and more sustainable EOL recycling of electric vehicles that are driving the future of the car industry, the company said in a press release.

The new PET BCF Yarns offer high-performance for automotive carpets, including abrasion and stain resistance, and durability, passing all stringent automotive tests including the Taber test for abrasion performance, compressibility and recovery ability test, light fastness in automotive (DIN EN ISO 105-B06) and VOC (fogging) according the VDA 278 test on VOC and FOG emission. The yarns can be colour solution dyed, have a dTex between 1300 – 1500, 81 filaments and are ideally for mats with a composition of 400 to 800 gram per m², while the yarns for moulded carpets have a dTex of 1200, 144 filaments for 380 gram per m².

“As the industry continues its transition towards circularity, making the right material choice is crucial from the outset to ensure the best possible eco-design and recyclability. Our newcomer, PET BCF yarns, brings virgin material to automotive carpets, creating a new systemic approach towards Mono-polymer-based automotive applications,” said Glenn Hyzak, global sales director yarns.

With the addition of PET BCF yarns, BIG Yarns is now a one-stop-shop for 3 types of solution dyed BCF carpet yarns for the automotive industry: nylon (PA6), polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET), and the Eqo-range of PA6 yarns – the sustainability focused EqoBalance, EqoCycle and EqoYarn. This strategically positions the company to help carpet manufacturers meet their sustainability targets.

The automotive carpet market is expected to grow strongly in the coming decade with the increased demand for vehicle customisation and personalisation driven by owners looking to upgrade and enhance interiors, including the flooring area.

A growing awareness around car hygiene is also boosting the market as consumers become more conscious of maintaining cleanliness in their vehicles, including the floors. Automotive carpets provide an effective solution by trapping dirt and preventing it from spreading to other areas.

BIG Yarns supports manufacturers as they invest in research and development to introduce more innovative and improved products to cater to these evolving consumer needs.

“From sustainability to enhanced functionalities and colour, we work closely with our customers, supporting them in design for vehicle customisation and personalisation, and in building new carpet designs that have never been seen before. Be inspired by our SustainableYarns and our monthly Catch The Colour and let us help you open up exciting new opportunities with our continuous focus on innovation and sustainability,” said Mélanie Monceaux, R&D manager, BIG Yarns.

BIG Yarns is proactive in developing new products that better serve customers’ needs in a sustainable way. Its solutions are at the forefront of industry product design, and it is fully committed to achieving an improved climate impact in the full supply chain within the automotive interiors industry by focusing on what matters most.