IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY OF SEATBELT USING RECYCLED POLYESTER

Sustainable Textiles

This project aims to design and develop a sustainable seatbelt by replacing conventional 100% polyester yarn with recycled polyester yarn. With sustainability becoming a growing priority in the automotive industry, this initiative focuses on reducing the environmental impact of seatbelt manufacturing without compromising safety and performance. The process begins with reverse engineering an existing seatbelt made from 100% polyester to gain a thorough understanding of its structure, material properties, and mechanical behavior. This step is essential, as there is limited published research on the application of recycled polyester in seatbelt production. Following the analysis, the team will identify and source recycled polyester yarns that align with environmental goals while still meeting strict safety requirements. Various blend ratios of virgin and recycled polyester will be tested to match the tensile strength, durability, and elasticity of the original material. This evaluation is crucial to ensure the recycled materials do not compromise the seatbelt’s safety performance. Once the optimal blend is selected, a prototype seatbelt will be constructed and subjected to testing based on relevant automotive safety standards. The project ultimately aims to create a safe, reliable, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional seatbelt materials.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.