Tag: colour materials and finish

Circutex: The story of leather legend Bader’s bold move to vegan

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Bader and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsThe idea of Bader – a premium leather supplier – launching an innovative vegan and eco-conscious coated textile, alongside its existing sustainable leather products, might come as a surprise. But to meet the new needs of customers and by combining traditional design and craftsmanship with modern technology, that’s exactly what the 153-year-old family-run German business has done

Car Design round-up: Bugatti, Corvette and Toyota

Car Design News takes a look at the news that may have gone under the radar this week, including the latest from Bugatti, Corvette and Volvo

Pangea: “Leather is a timeless material, made modern”

Rain Xia, senior designer at Pangea, spoke at Car Design Dialogues Shanghai

Maserati x Giorgetti: “An obsession of craftsmanship and quality”

Maserati’s Klaus Busse talks cars, furniture and applying the skill of design beyond things with four wheels

Watch: CDN & Ultrafabrics discuss CMF survey results

Car Design News and Ultrafabrics have released the results of the 2025 colour, materials and finish survey

Lacks on carbonfibre wheels: "There is endless design freedom”

Michael Suchara, director of global marketing at Lacks Carbon Fiber, spoke at Car Design Dialogues Milan during the 2025 Milan design week. Here, he discusses how the company is well positioned to handle recent tariff movements, why two-piece carbonfibre wheels offer designers great flexibility, and what it was like supporting one of the fastest production cars in the world

"In a world of artificial products, people crave things that are real"

Catherine Ciftci, senior director of global design at Pangea, spoke during the Salone del Mobile at Car Design Dialogues Milan

"Polyurethane has a place in the sustainability toolbox"

Kimberley Harrington, sales manager of advanced automotive design at Ultrafabrics, spoke during the Salone del Mobile at Car Design Dialogues Milan

“We’re not interested in gimmicks and short-term solutions”

Catherine Martin, brand manager at Bridge of Weir, spoke during the Salone del Mobile at Car Design Dialogues Milan

“We're expanding beyond the traditional ways of colour and trim”

Nisha Pillai, senior CMF designer at Audi, spoke during the Salone del Mobile at Car Design Dialogues Milan

“Creativity is a common ground among all designers”

Laura Brunet, chief designer, colour and material at Lancia, spoke during the Salone del Mobile at Car Design Dialogues Milan

“Sustainability is key, but innovation has to come first”

Jo Lewis, head of CMF at McLaren Automotive, spoke during the Salone del Mobile at Car Design Dialogues Milan.

Live blog: Car Design Dialogues Milan 2025

Get all the highlights as they happen at Car Design Dialogues Milan

Ultrasuede continues push for plant-based suede with award-winning autonomous shuttle concept

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Toray and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsInnovative materials supplier Toray has showcased its latest plant-based efforts with a new autonomous shuttle concept

Bader leather: well-designed, premium and sustainable

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Badar and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsBader is a 153-year-old family-run premium leather supplier striving to combine traditional design and craftsmanship, with modern technology, sustainability and social responsibility

Collaboration central to materials innovation, says Ultrafabrics

Ultrafabrics aims to redefine what it means to be an automotive supplier, positioning itself as a development partner with cross-industry expertise

Achieving true sustainability: the questions designers should be asking

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Bridge of Weir and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsWith designers under ever more time pressure, making sure that materials are sustainably sourced is a challenge and that means asking the right questions, says premium leather supplier Bridge of Weir

Watch on demand: Panel discussion - The future of German automotive design

Watch on demand our virtual live panel discussion ”The future of German automotive design: a new era in innovation and sustainability”, broadcast from Munich, where we explored the challenges of balancing heritage with the demands of modern mobility, the impact of sustainability on design ethos, and the increasing role of collaboration with suppliers to drive innovation.

January focus: perceived quality

This January Car Design News will be placing perceived quality under the spotlight

The world is getting phygital, and so is car design

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Granstudio and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsWith a phygital approach to design, Granstudio’s transdisciplinary creative team ensure that context and individual needs are at the heart of every project

Register now: Be safe, be seen: the future of automotive lighting

Join us for an exclusive livestream exploring the evolving role of automotive lighting in a world of increasing complexity. Lighting isn’t just about safety anymore—it’s all about branding and user experience. In this session, we’ll explore cool new technologies, how lighting laws are changing things, and how lighting helps shape a car’s identity. Think illuminated logos, dynamic light patterns, and how lighting can make a car feel more emotional and functional at the same time.

Jaguar reimagined: new restomod launches amid brand revamp

As Jaguar launches its new marketing campaign ahead of a complete makeover, British firm TWR has revealed a tribute to the XJS

Thinking outside the box – how Merck is reshaping CMF exploration

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Merck and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsMerck has devised a new story-telling solution that puts the latest trends and technologies on the desk of CMF designers, kickstarting a conversation among various stakeholders and giving solid answers to real problems

Quarterre’s McLaren luggage bridges the gap between automotive and fashion

Branching out into its own branded products for the first time, design firm Quarterre has been instrumental in the development of Schedoni Modena’s new range.

Mercedes furthers Moncler collab with new G-Class

Register now: Master of none: how to create agile muti-skilled design teams

Join us for an exclusive livestream exploring the evolving dynamics of automotive design teams. As design roles shift, it’s all about creativity, flexibility, and standing out. This session is all about building versatile teams, encouraging innovation, and attracting top talent. We’ll chat about what makes a great design leader, how to take smart risks, and ways to give teams the freedom to thrive in a competitive world.

Watch now: How to prepare for the AI-future in Automotive Design

Bio leather and beyond – Brusarosco explores new sustainable solutions

Being truly sustainable is hard to do – and sometimes even harder to prove – but bio-based leather supplier Brusarosco has both bases covered, while still managing to create beautiful and innovative end products for automotive seating, steering wheels and dashboards

Knitting the future: Shawmut creates innovative, recyclable suede alternative

PARTNER CONTENTThis content was paid for by Shawmut and produced in partnership with Car Design NewsShawmut addresses two key drawbacks of traditional urethane-infused non-woven suedes – sustainability and ease of use – through Neoluxe

Swarovski Mobility on ‘the science of creativity’

Crystal is a relatively new material to the automotive industry and design teams looking to bring it in require an experienced partner

Latest material trends by CNT Factory

CMF experts CNT Factory pick out some groundbreaking projects and materials, including work from BMW and Freitag

Car design round-up: Mauer’s anniversary, Nissan’s cool paint and Monterey Car Week

Car Design News looks at some of the design stories that may have gone under the radar over the past week. Read on for the latest news in brief

Watch now: Enabling creative innovation in the design studio

In pictures: 2024 Cadillac SOLLEI Concept

A custard-coloured Cadillac was revealed yesterday, showcasing beautiful forms and incredible attention to detail on the interior

“What makes a material interesting is its story”

Gaia Crippa, head of materials innovation at Chris Lefteri Design, speaks to Car Design News in Milan at the Maserati showroom