Honda’s R&D department is working to develop a special car seat fabric that shrugs off food, beverages, mud, and whatever other stain might come menacing. The goal is to build car seats that never get stained. Based on a special fluororesin plastic commonly used for electrical cables and pipes, Honda developed a hydrophobic and lipophobic tissue, i.e. capable of repelling both water and oil. After a long series of tests, Honda’s chemists and engineers have obtained a new product that seems immune to spots and maintains all the aesthetic and tactile qualities required of an interior upholstery. The structure of the textile is new, as well, using different resins that together block the passage of many liquids and oils.
To date, the new material has only been introduced in the upholstery of the 2020 model Honda Stepwgn 6-seater MPV in the Japanese market, but in the coming years it could be used to cover the fabrics of all Honda cars.
