By Maria C. Thiry, AATCC
Reprint with permission from AATCC

ABSTRACT

The interior of an automobile is crucial to a consumer's initial impression of that vehicle and is influential in the consumer's decision to buy a similar vehicle in the future. Because of these factors, automobile manufacturers strive to deliver an interior experience that not only performs well and delivers good value, but also one with a design that differentiates their product from others on the market.

Because of the importance of the automobile interior, the factors of product differentiation, price, and performance interact and influence each other to shape both vehicle interiors and the industry that makes them.

Keywords: product differentiation, performance, price pressure, design, lightfastness, hand

Most consumers thoroughly research the kind of car they want before ever entering a showroom. But the showroom is the first place the consumer will be able to see, touch, and smell the vehicle, especially the interior—to sniff that "new car smell." According to Nancy Powell at North Carolina State University, the first look at a car's interior will give consumers a lasting initial impression. This impression can influence the final buying decision. "That's where the long-term sale is made—once the consumer sees the interior details," says Barbara Haaksma of Milliken.

Not only is the initial impression important, but "the interior experience makes a big difference to whether the consumer will buy a similar vehicle again," notes Haaksma. After all, the interior of the vehicle is where the consumer actually spends the most time with the car. It is important not only to deliver an interior experience that performs well and delivers good value, but also one with a design that differentiates this product from others on the market.

These are the three important facets that drive automotive textiles: product differentiation, performance, and price. Style, quality, and value interact and influence each other in a myriad of ways to shape both vehicle interiors and the industry that makes them.

VALUE

Consultant Robert Eller, of Robert Eller Associates Inc., has recently published a multi-client analysis of automotive interior soft trim and is preparing a study of nonwovens in automobile applications. He echoes many in the industry when he points out that the automotive textiles market is suffering from a profitability crisis. OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are striving to obtain the least costly textile products possible. To do that, they are putting price pressures on their suppliers. However, "We are at the end of the supply chain. Right now, we're approaching our lowest price," says yarn supplier Unifi's Guy McCall. "The textile manufacturers and their suppliers are near the bottom of this price pressure well. There is no water left."

Suppliers are struggling to avoid having their products turned into commodities. "One way they are battling that trend is by integrating forward in the supply chain—for example, by foam laminating or printing in house—in an effort to add value to their products," explains Eller.

Another effect of price pressures is the movement toward global sourcing. Global sourcing is influencing the automotive textiles industry in a variety of ways. It increases the downward pressure on prices. It encourages the geographic relocation of industry segments. "Like the apparel industry, the trend in the automotive industry is moving towards Asia," says Eller.

Additionally, global sourcing increases the influences of European and Asian manufacturing principles and design ideals. As well as influencing design, Europeans have influenced manufacturing and materials choices through their emphasis on sustainability—reducing the ecological impact and increasing the ultimate recyclability of automobiles.

QUALITY

Powell considers performance to be the most important attribute for an automotive textile. "Quality is a given," affirms Art Roberson of Unifi. "Innovation is also a given," adds Unifi's Ron Mangrum. "Quality and innovation are requirements just to stay in business."

Industry experts agree that lightfastness is the most significant performance issue. According to DyStar's Stefan Brandt, GM began experiencing fading problems when they were getting cars back from leasing programs. "The resale value of a car goes down if the interior has faded. This has driven the tougher testing standards," says Jack Larkins of Ciba Specialty Chemicals.

"Until three years ago, the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) test was the major lightfastness test. Today, everything is different. Traditional dye systems can't stand up to the demands of the new test methods," says Larkins.

The single most important factor that has changed in the lightfastness testing has been the addition of more heat. "The old SAE test had a maximum temperature of 89^C. The more stringent requirements now test at 100^C or more," says Bruce Griffin of Ciba Specialty Chemicals. Larkins admits that the new tests more accurately reflect real-world conditions that are found in automobiles.

According to Brandt, the major automobile manufacturers have embraced two main philosophies with regard to lightfastness. Automakers like GM have increased their lightfastness requirements and made their tests more difficult. Manufacturers like Ford have eliminated much of the UV radiation requirements from the test because they use UV-blocking glass in their vehicles. However, he notes that radiation in the visible light and infrared spectrums also trigger the degradation process that leads to fading.

Other factors also lead to lightfastness difficulties. Brandt notes that, “Designers are using more pale shades in cars. The paler the shade, the more difficult it is to get a good level of lightfastness.” Brandt says that designers are also using more microfibers. “Microfibers also make it more difficult to keep a good level of lightfastness. The greater surface area provided by microfibers gives degradation factors more surfaces to attack.”

Fabrics for Extreme Conditions Reprinted with permision by Milliken

It is also important that if the material is going to fade, it must retain the same cast in hue as it fades. “On tone fade being controllable is vital, even with some degradation of depth. It is important not to fade at all, but if it does fade, it needs to be on tone. The dyes must all work together to have on tone fade,” says Griffin.

The major dye manufacturers have developed dye ranges to pass the more stringent lightfastness tests. However, says Brandt, “Because the automotive textiles industry is still price sensitive, it is important to have a range of products, including economical products. Different areas of the automobile have different lightfastness requirements—the carpeting, headliner, and trunk liner have different requirements than the seats.”

STYLE

"Fifteen years ago, every new innovation was an exciting styling tool. Today, we need to add value and improve performance as well. Performance and style must go together,” says Mangrum. “Style is quality. Quality is value.” Even though final fabric decisions are heavily influenced by cost, according to design consultant George Moon, of George Moon Design, consultant to Chatham Borgstena Automotive Textiles, “It starts with the design—the ‘look.’ You’ve got to catch their eye, or else they pass it over.”

Preferred Suede By Milliken Reprinted with permision by Milliken

Part of the reason for the broad variety of textile designs available is the large number of car models available. “Much of the business is small volume, niche business,” says Moon. To meet the different market needs, one of the things automakers use to differentiate their products is the textiles in the interior.

“The design aesthetics impact the consumer,” says Haaksma, “both initially and over the long term. Textiles help support the brand character and identity—how the vehicle is positioned in the marketplace.” Textiles also help denote different levels of luxury or function, such as truck versus sedan.

Colors and Design

Modern automotive textile design includes a shift towards a sophisticated incorporation of color, often including the use of small amounts of bright colors used as accents. “The color and design should always support the character and model concept of the car,” notes Anke Mazzei of Nissan Design America. Patterns, often etched or embossed, are favored over plain surfaces. Yarns and fabrics range from suede-type fabrics, to plastic or metallic yarns. The velvets and velours of yesterday are being replaced by flat wovens. However, according to Mazzei, “While the hand should be authentic to the fabric and support the character of the fabric, we don’t want a hard or harsh hand. The thick softness of velours is being replaced by a flat softness of knits or wovens.”

Texture

Touch and hand are very big issues,” says Mazzei. “The first thing a consumer does after looking at the fabric is to touch the fabric.” Haaksma agrees that, in general, a softer hand is desired. She also says that “We are looking for different kinds of tactile experiences in the interior. Texture is going in two directions: there is growing interest in a slightly more textured look with a soft hand, and there is also great interest in smooth constructions with a soft hand—often achieved with apparel-inspired microdenier fabrics.”

Many in the industry have remarked on the rise of microdenier fabrics in automobile interiors, where previously 3-4 denier fabrics were commonly seen. The finer denier often gives a more luxurious hand. “Here in North America, softer means luxury. Softer means high quality. We’re trying to develop fabrics that have these high luxury and quality connotations,” notes Mazzei.

Materials

Leather has always had these connotations of luxury and quality. “The popularity of leather is growing,” says Mazzei. “Most cars will probably always have a leather option because it is so much in demand.” Besides the luxurious connotations, leather has a functional aspect, in that it is usually easier to clean than fabric.

However, despite its popularity, leather is less efficient to use than rolled goods because there are lower yields in cutting patterns from hides. This also makes leather more expensive to use. “Decades ago, leather was only used in high-end luxury vehicles,” says Fred Aufterhaar of Naugahyde. “Then in the 1990s, leather was introduced into some non-luxury cars. But the cost was prohibitive. Recently, leather substitutes are coming back into use. OEMs are looking at putting vinyl in the second and third rows of SUVs and minivans.”

Besides the economic benefits of leather substitutes, there are performance benefits as well. While having performance characteristics that compare well to leather, leather substitutes can be designed to be stronger and lighter than leather. Since it is a man-made product, it can be patterned and textured like other coated fabrics and produced in a variety of colors.

Prototype auto seat using DuPont Hytrel thermoplastic polyester elastomer for an automotive seat structure and fabric as a space and weight saving alternative to conventional automotive cushion/fabric seats. The seat also boasts comfort via reduced pressure points that build up over long trips with conventional urethane cushioned seats. Courtesy of DuPont

Functionality

Powell notes that there has been an overall market movement towards greater functionality. She points towards the variety of hybrid vehicles available, and the increased versatility of vehicle interiors. “For example, the Honda Element features waterproof, stain resistant textiles in the interior. This functionality appeals to the vehicle's target market.”

Another important function of textiles in the auto interior is sound control. “Fabric is an important part of the acoustic performance of the vehicle,” notes Eller. “Fabric constructions that add to that acoustic capacity are valued.” The microdenier fabrics so valued because of their aesthetic and tactile properties are also in demand because of their acoustic properties—the greater surface area absorbs sound more efficiently. “As well as using micodenier fabrics on the surface of the interior as ‘bodycloth,’ they are also being used as a construction layer to improve the acoustic properties of the vehicle,” says Eller. “While improving the acoustic properties comparatively, they are much lighter than the heavy layer that is usually required for acoustic control. An overall lighter vehicle can improve gas mileage.”

Design Influences

As well as striving for increased functionality for the textiles in automobile interiors, designers endeavor to bring fresh and appealing aesthetics into the picture. Moon notes that the current fascination for printing and embossing was influenced by the footwear industry. “And of course, there is influence from the fashion world—the microdenier looks. There is also interest in fabrics with neoprene or rubberized surfaces. That’s a look we didn’t have years ago.”

Haaksma adds that designers also draw inspiration from sports world and technical materials. Mazzei points out the influence of furniture design.

“In North America, the influence of the Europeans and Japanese designers is considerable because of the popularity of European and Japanese vehicles. These influences have woken up designers here because, above all, there is a move away from blandness. The European and Japanese influences include bolder designs, and a tasteful use of color and color combinations that is exciting to the eye,” says Mazzei.

European Influences

According to Eller, the European influence also extends into other areas. “Since the European ‘look’ is in, their textile preferences are also popular. Europeans tend to prefer nonwovens in the trunkliner and headliner, so we will be seeing a trend toward greater use of nonwovens.”

Eller says that the Europeans are also concerned with end-of-life vehicle legislation (ELV). “This means that the OEM is responsible for the vehicle from inception to consumption,” says McCall. Mangrum explains that this legislation mandates that all of the components of the car must be recycled at the end of its life.

“The Europeans have a strong preference for a three-layer sandwich of textile/foam/substrate for the instrument panel, door panel, and flooring,” says Eller. “In order to comply with the ELV legislation, the trend has been toward mono-material construction of the sandwich—all one polymer.”

Larkins also notes that ELV concerns have prompted European countries to ban certain dyes and chemicals used in the auto industry. “Effective October 31, the banned chemistries will no longer be allowed in any product for use in the automotive industry, whether manufactured in Europe or imported into Europe. The major U.S. auto companies are considering applying the European standard to their products globally. This is a downstream issue—can the product be harmful to the environment or possibly carcinogenic once the car is discarded or recycled? We need to look at the lifecycle of the product.”

THE FUTURE

According to Mangrum, issues of sustainability and other environmental issues will become more important in the future. He feels that these trends will spread from Europe into North America. Brandt agrees, and foresees a growth in the use of PLA fibers, which the market perceives as more environmentally friendly and easier to recycle than polyesters.

Eller sees the sustainability trend married with the price pressure trend, giving rise to the growth of the “back injection” technique. “The textile is formed into the cavity of a mold, and molten plastic substrate material is shot directly onto the back of the textile. It is an efficient and relatively inexpensive way of putting a textile on a plastic part. This technique lends itself to mono-material construction.”

Haaksma says that she sees function playing a greater role in the future of automotive textiles. “Perhaps textiles married to electronic components or illuminated materials—anything to enhance the interior vehicle experience. I also see textiles moving into non-traditional textile roles: in the cargo compartment, on the floor, or on the instrument panel. Textiles can provide more flexible storage spaces than the traditional hard plastics currently used.”

Moon says, “In the auto industry, change is evolutionary, not revolutionary. The importance of textiles will continue to rise. Every manufacturer is looking for new materials to give better wear and durability, as well as a better look. We’re working on every surface of the interior of the car—the side walls, flooring, headliners, as well as the seat—to see what new looks we can create.” The automotive textile industry is continually striving to ensure that consumer’s interior experience of an automobile is one of style, quality, and value.

AUTHOR CONTACT

Maria C. Thiry, AATCC, P.O. Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2215. Telephone 919-549-3548; fax 919-549-8933; e-mail thirym@aatcc.org.

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