Ford puts soy in its seats

Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford Motor (NYSE: F) said today that seat cushions using some soy-based foam will be featured in six of its 2009 vehicle models.

The company said the new cushions, wrapped in 100 percent recycled fabric, are the first such seats in the automotive industry.

"As Ford continues to migrate soy-based foam seat inserts across many vehicle platforms, we're improving our environmental footprint by conserving limited resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions," said Debbie Mielewski, technical leader at Ford Plastics Research.

The soy seats will show up in the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, Ford Mustang, F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. The company's Plastics Research group replaced 40 percent of the standard petroleum-based polyol used in seating materials with a soy-derived material.

Ford showcased its soy foams in 2003 on the Model U concept car, which featured soy-based seat cushions as well as a soy-based resin composite tailgate.

The recycled fabric used to wrap the soy seats is supplied by Interface Fabrics, part of Atlanta-based carpet maker Interface (Nasdaq: IFSIA). The fabric is produced from post-industrial waste, which can include leftover plastic intended for soda bottles and un-dyed polyester fibers.

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