Vegan-friendly EVs drive animal-free leather boom in China

Japan's Toray doubles sales of high-end upholstery material

20230919N Toray suede

The material in Toray Industries premium artificial leather uses polyesters that are so fine and light that a thread stretching over 900 kilometers weighs less than a gram, according to the company. (Photo courtesy of Toray Industries)

SACHIHA KUROSE, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- China's vegan revolution appears to have caught up with its electric vehicle craze, as upholstery in battery-powered automobiles is increasingly featuring upscale synthetic leather.

Japanese chemical group Toray Industries has already seen benefits. The company said Chinese sales of its Ultrasuede material roughly doubled last year.

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