MINI’s Recycled Knit Interior is Now Award Winning Despite Early Criticism

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MINI’s interior material strategy has just received one of the highest validations possible from the industry. The brand’s knitted interior textile has been named the overall winner of the SPE Automotive Award 2025, also taking the Grand Award in the Body Interior category. It is one of the most prestigious honors in the plastics industry, with the Grand Award reserved for the single best submission across all categories.

That recognition matters because it is not about styling or trend chasing. It is about material innovation. And at the center of it is textile.

Across the current MINI generation, knitted fabric has moved from accent to architecture. Dashboards, door panels, and center consoles are now defined by a purpose built knit that is designed to be seen, touched, and used every day. This is not fabric applied for effect. It is a structural interior material developed specifically for automotive use, balancing durability, sustainability, and design expression.

As we have covered over the last two years, this shift has prompted real questions from MINI owners. How will textile surfaces wear over time. How easy are they to clean. Do fabrics belong in areas traditionally dominated by leather and soft touch plastics. Those concerns are understandable, particularly for a brand whose cars are often daily driven and kept for the long term. While early experiences are promising, we won’t know how well the new material holds up long-term for a few more years.

What tends to get lost in that conversation is how engineered this material actually is. MINI’s knit is abrasion resistant, structurally reinforced, and largely made from recycled polyester, significantly reducing CO2e emissions and water consumption compared to primary materials. It is also completely leather free, aligning with MINI’s broader sustainability goals without sacrificing tactile quality.

Vescin, MINI’s high quality faux leather used in seating and select touch points, plays a supporting role. It provides familiarity where needed. But the defining material of MINI’s latest interiors, and the one now validated at the highest level, is textile.

And now we’re seeing validation of the strategy in the form of an industry award. What do you think? Has MINI made the right move in innovating in this area or should they have stayed with more traditional interior materials?

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