An innovative new plant-based skin, Persiskin Auto, has been created by Antolin and Persiskin. This new product provides an eco-friendly alternative to traditional animal leather, along with other synthetic coverings for automotive interiors, consequently reducing the use of chemicals or water consumption.

After a two-year collaboration, Persiskin Auto has been produced and it is created out of a high content of persimmon waste, which is a fruit whose production has a high waste of an estimated 50%. This waste is converted into a material that has up to 80% biological content and this material has the ability to be customised in terms of touch, roughness, engravings, gloss and colour, plus it can also be marked, sewn or even laser engraved.

It is expected that by 2025, the new material will be ready to be used on door panels, instrument panels, consoles and finally, seats. Furthermore, whilst the persimmon waste is a seasonal product, it is also possible to store it for a long duration and this is beneficial as doing this could lead to a continuous supply of raw materials, therefore making it ideal for production all throughout the year.

The next steps for this new material are centred around the new collaboration that Antolin is involved in, with a large European automotive brand. It is expected that the material will be added to the interior of a new vehicle by 2028.