DE29501848U1 - Cover for car seats and for the design of car interiors - Google Patents

Description

I, Task

When many materials considered "natural" are extracted and processed, pollutants are produced that have a significant impact on us and our environment and also represent an interference with the ecological balance.

For this reason, we analyzed materials that are currently used as covers for car seats and car interior design and examined them from an environmentally critical perspective.

1 . Materials

1.1 . Cotton:

- for example, to obtain the required amount of cotton, each
Year huge areas, mostly untouched nature, were cleared and used for
Agriculture can be cultivated

- existing cotton plantations are no longer able to produce the harvest of the last few years after about 3-5 years

- the soil has no time to recover (monocultures)

- the result is fertilization, but natural manure is not sufficient
available and is also too expensive, chemical fertilizers are
used (groundwater hazard)

1.2. Synthetic fibres and artificial leather:

- are made from synthetic resins, plastics and chemical compounds

- Chemical industry works with environmentally harmful substances

- Consequences include: smog over large cities and industrial areas; ozone hole

1.3.Natural leather:

- Slaughtering of animals to obtain the necessary quantity of animal hides for the
to have further processing

- Use of tannins for the preservation of leather, dyes,
varnishes, polishes etc.

- Environmental compatibility of these products is not given, as chemical
Origin

.,4. Summary

As beautiful as these materials are and as long as they beautify everyone’s home, the disadvantages in terms of extraction, processing and, above all, for nature are obvious.

1.5. Problem

Is there a natural product between heaven and earth that increases the more it is consumed, protects the environment and is suitable for covering car seats and designing car interiors?

If so, then the advantages in terms of properties, quality and ambience should not be lost, as is the case with leather and textile-covered car seats.

II. Solution

This natural product is cork.

1. Origin and history

Cork is obtained from the bark of the long-lived cork oak, which is native to southern Europe and can live up to 500 years.

Until a few years ago, people didn’t know what to do with the raw material cork.

Traditionally it was used for bottle corks, in the exclusive variant for champagne corks. These bottle corks were neither a profitable nor a very high-quality product.

Owners of cork forests (often 2nd or 3rd generation) often have to wait a long time to harvest high-quality cork, because the first cork can only be harvested after about 50 years. Then another 20 - 30 years have to pass (the tree has peeled itself about 3 - 4 times by then) before the cork forest owner can expect a very good harvest. This is why many cork forest owners, for example in Spain and Portugal, have decided to use their forests economically in another way. Many did not want to wait that long and cleared or burned down their forests.

Lifeless wasteland remained of the vast regions of ancient cork oak forests. Instead, tourist towns, holiday homes and human factories grew out of the desecrated land and the property speculators celebrated triumphs.

Last but not least, ecological considerations have led to research into the processing of cork. A constant demand for cork could therefore be beneficial to the survival of cork oak forests, because only a constant demand for cork enables cork oak owners to make a living from their forests. They are then no longer forced to switch to other economic sectors.
In addition, it can help reduce environmental impact, as both the extraction and processing of cork are environmentally friendly.

Cork is a natural product, and neither animals nor plants have to lose their lives to produce it. About every 10 years, the cork oak peels off its shell when it has become too small. As soon as the bark cracks, it can be harvested, i.e. peeled off the tree. The older the cork oak becomes, the better the cork it can produce. Over a period of about 10 years, the bark renews itself again and again. After each peeling, the quality of the cork improves. It becomes finer and more elastic.

A natural process that does not harm nature, but only uses the natural cycle.

2. Production

After the peeled cork has been cut into wafer-thin slices, it is pressed onto viscose or other natural materials using heat and an environmentally friendly adhesive. Any use or chemical treatment of or with tanning agents, dyes, varnishes or impregnating agents is eliminated.

3. Properties

Further processing is easy and straightforward, because good cork does not crumble or tear. It is easy to cut and sew.

This cork material has at least the same properties as leather and textiles.

It is water and dirt repellent, robust and hard-wearing, scratch-resistant, breathable, soft and supple, adapts to body temperature and has a balancing effect. The beautiful and rich natural colors of the light and dark cork are also impressive.

4. Cleaning

Cork can be easily cleaned with lukewarm water (30 degrees C) and soap. For larger stains, a soft brush can be used. After cleaning, the cork can be dried with a cloth.
What is certain, however, is that no chemical care products are necessary.

The biggest and most important advantage remains that cork is 100% natural.

Claims (1)

Claim wording : , Cover for car seats and for the design of car interiors, characterized in that the cover consists of cork applied to viscose."