Newsletter
ISSUE 3 | OCTOBER 2019
Edition BOOTH# 4423 Industry News & Trends Visit us at
industry debate:cloth vs.plastic seat covers
Several companies have been offering “reusable” cloth seat covers for use in automotive service, claiming that they provide more benefits than plastic seat covers. However, this may not be true.
Despite the attack on plastic in the last few years, it is actually more environmentally friendly than its alternatives. According to the Plastics Industry Association, cloth alternatives have to be used for over seven years before they become more environmentally friendly than plastic. In addition, cloth seat covers would only be able to be used a couple of times before needing to be washed, thus increasing environmental impact. Plastic seat covers use less resources to make and are made of film that is easy to recycle. Not sure how to recycle them? Start by looking into your local recycling programs. Also, you can explore partnerships with companies who have closed loop programs. Plastic seat covers are faster and easier to use while also performing better than cloth seat covers. Cloth seat covers are bulkier and heavier, requiring more time to install and remove. They also make the process longer in service centers because
they have to be washed, stored, and used differently. It takes less than 20 seconds to install a plastic seat cover and a floor mat to protect vehicles from service soils. Cloth covers also tend to slide around, exposing the seat to dirt and other service grime, while making it difficult for service technicians to get in and out whereas our advanced Slip-N-Grip® 3-layer plastic film technology is designed so that the bottom layer grips the seat and the top layer allows easy entry and exit from the vehicle. Cross contamination is another problem with cloth covers. Since they are used multiple times before they are washed, dirt, oil, and other service soils can be transferred from one vehicle to another. Plastic seat covers do not have this problem.
In conclusion, cloth seat covers may sound better to those who have not done their research, but in reality, plastic seat covers remain the best choice.
Plastic seems to be more environmentally-friendly and performs better than cloth seat covers, but which one is less expensive? Actually, they’re about the same. Dealerships have to keep buying boxes of plastic seat covers as they use them up, but cloth seat covers only last a few months so they have to replace
Industry
fun fact:
them two to three times a year, increasing their cost. If you include the cost of cleaning the cloth seat covers, it would probably make them the more expensive choice.
According to AASA, the aftermarket industry grows at an average rate of 3.4% annually.
Clings. Covers. C overs. P rotects. Protects.
resources & contact
Product Catalog: Click to view Website: www.slipngrip.com Email: info@slipngrip.com Phone: (855) 999-4764 Fax: (248) 203-9416