Unifi has confirmed that car maker Ford's new Focus Electric model features seat fabric made from the company's Repreve recycled fibre. More than 20 plastic bottles per car are said to be used in the recycled material.

Repreve is made from a hybrid blend of recycled materials and manufactured by Unifi, Inc. which says that 22 plastic, 16-ounce water bottles are used in the seat fabric of a single Focus Electric. The figure is based on the amount of Repreve branded fibre used in the production of fabric in each vehicle. Ford is the first car maker to use Repreve branded fibre in its seat fabric.

"What better vehicle than the Focus Electric to put seat fabric made of recycled materials?" said Carol Kordich, lead designer of Sustainable Materials for Ford.

"Not only does the use of this fabric in Focus Electric help reduce waste, it also helps to offset the need to produce new raw material from crude oil - a process that consumes precious energy and natural resources."

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is green in other ways, too as it runs on battery power alone, requiring no petrol and producing zero carbon dioxide emissions.

"We are excited to work with Ford for the introduction of Repreve into the automotive industry," said Roger Berrier, president and COO of the Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi.

"As Repreve continues to expand into new applications and markets, consumers are becoming more aware of companies like Ford and Unifi working together to make a positive impact on the environment."

In 2009 Ford mandated that fabric suppliers use a minimum of 25% recycled content for all 2009 and beyond model year vehicles. Since then, 37 different fabrics meeting the requirements are said to have been developed and incorporated into Ford vehicles.

According to Unifi, Ford is taking it a step further by mandating that fabric be 100% sustainable in vehicles with eco-conscious powertrains like the Focus Electric.

Unifi says Repreve fits the bill for Ford because it is a combination of post-industrial fibre waste and post-consumer waste, like the plastic water bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate plastic. Using Repreve is also said to reduce energy consumption by offsetting the need to use newly refined crude oil for production.

Over the past few years Ford has concentrated on increasing the use of non-metal recycled and bio-based materials whenever possible, provided these materials are environmentally favourable in the specific application. Examples are said to include soy foam seat cushions and head restraints, wheat straw-filled plastic, castor oil foam in instrument panels, recycled resins for under body systems, recycled yarns on seat covers and natural-fibre plastic for interior components.