Monova PE, a fully circular and recyclable mono-material laminated seat cover, has been launched by a collaboration of Studio ID, Trendworks, Sabeti Wain and Botany Weaving. The project partners say that the composition of Monova PE enables it to be endlessly recycled.
Around one million seat dress-covers are replaced annually due to wear and tear, and still more are replaced during refurbishments, creating a mountain of waste material. Most covers are made from multi-materials that are laminated together, which makes recycling economically and logistically unfeasible, so discarded covers end up in landfills or incinerators.
Every part of Monova PE is made from polyester – the fabric, the lamination materials, and even the velcro. This creates a mono-material part that can be easily and efficiently recycled at any textile chemical recycling facility in the world.
Monova PE is a recycled ‘textile-to-textile’ fabric from Botany Weaving, created directly from post-industrial and post-consumer waste textiles. Studio ID and Trendworks worked with Botany on the design and construction of the fabric to ensure that it looks and feels good.
Studio ID, Trendworks and Sabeti are also working on an innovative labelling system for the material, including QR codes to ensure the mono-material nature of the construction is evident to recyclers at the end of life, as well as signifying to the customer the commitment from the airline regarding sustainability.
Due to the polyester construction, Monova PE can even be cold-washed instead of dry-cleaned. Dry-cleaning uses approximately 85% more energy than cold washing, releases tonnes of harmful chemicals into waterways and the air, and reduces the durability of each cover washed. Cold washing is a more environmentally friendly method.
“Monova PE shows how you can do things differently – with sustainability going hand-in-hand with passenger experience. We’re proud to have created such a game-changing product with our fantastic partners. As ever, it’s only the start of something and we’re excited to continue the quiet revolution of aircraft interiors” said Daniel Clucas, founder and design director of the Studio ID design consultancy.
“Monova PE is a fantastic example of what can be achieved quickly through collaboration of like-minded organisations for the aviation industry,” added Elina Kopola, founder of Trendworks, a specialist in in CMF, trend research and industrial design. “The textile-to-textile recycled Monova PE fabric can be customised like any aviation fabric, designed to enhance the brand experience of any airline brand.”
