— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

Dow Chemical (Midland, Michigan, USA; www.dow.com) and automotive seating manufacturer Adient (Plymouth, Michigan, USA; www.adient.com) have commercially launched Specflex Ren, a polyurethane seating foam using ISCC Plus certified bio-circular attributed feedstocks through a mass-balance approach.

The companies said the use of renewable feedstocks is intended to reduce reliance on fossil-based raw materials and contribute to a lower product carbon footprint compared with conventional fossil-based alternatives. The foam is designed to provide comfort and resilience comparable with conventional automotive seating foam.

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The development combines Dow’s materials science and polyurethane expertise with Adient’s seating design and manufacturing capabilities. The companies plan to support wider adoption of polyurethane solutions linked to renewable feedstock inputs across automotive applications.

According to Dow and Adient, Specflex Ren is intended to help automotive manufacturers pursue sustainability and decarbonisation objectives without compromising seating performance. The companies said the technology could become increasingly relevant as the automotive industry moves towards lower-carbon, more resource-efficient mobility systems.