Fiat introduces the first car interior made from recycled beverage cartons. The new Grande Panda model includes visible interior components manufactured using polyethylene and aluminium layers extracted from around 140 used cartons per car.

Transforming Waste into Automotive Innovation

This development uses PolyAl, a material created during the recycling of aseptic drink cartons. These cartons contain about 70% cardboard, 25% polymer, and 5% aluminium. While cardboard fibres are already widely reused, the thin plastic and aluminium layers were harder to recycle. Yet these layers are crucial, as they keep liquids shelf-stable without preservatives or refrigeration.

Fiat collaborated with Lapo Compound, which developed Lapolen Ecotek, a new PolyAl-based material. This compound is now used in the Grande Panda’s dashboard, centre console, and door panels. Its shiny finish comes from aluminium, and it can be coloured precisely—in this case, a custom shade of blue for Fiat.

Circularity in Plain Sight

Fiat deliberately chose to keep the recycled material visible, aligning with its design philosophy: “less is more.” The brand aims to remove unnecessary components and replaces polluting ones—like chrome and leather—with eco-friendly alternatives.

The Grande Panda proves that post-consumer waste can meet the performance and aesthetic demands of the automotive industry. It also helps Fiat get ahead of EU regulations, which will require 25% of plastic in new cars to be recycled by 2030.

A Material with Wider Potential

This innovation doesn’t stop at cars. Lapo Compound is already testing other uses for Lapolen Ecotek, including garden furniture and factory flooring. The material offers new possibilities for product and packaging designers, as well as others exploring durable applications of recycled content.

Giuseppe Crisci, General Manager at Lapo Compound, believes in the power of such innovations: “Our work with Fiat shows that circular design can meet high standards and support a more responsible future.”

Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President at Tetra Pak, calls the project a “milestone.” He sees it as a clear example of how cross-sector collaboration can unlock new value from recycled materials and move industries toward a more circular economy.

Source: Duurzaam Ondernemen
Photos: Fiat