Christian Cavell, Commercial Lead Automotive
With over 30 years in the automotive industry and a background from the full supply chain in companies such as Autoliv and Global Safety Textiles, Christian Cavell recognized a major sustainability shift happening and wanted to be at the forefront of it. That’s why he joined Syre’s mission to decarbonize and dewaste textiles, starting with polyester. For more than a year now, Christian has been leading Syre’s partnerships across the automotive value chain as Commercial Lead Automotive.
Most people probably don't know this, but how much polyester is used in a car?
“The answer depends a lot on the brand, the equipment, and the region. Today, an average car contains about 20 kg of polyester, and this amount is expected to increase in the coming years. There is already a significant amount of recycled polyester in cars, but it mostly comes from bottles – a resource that is becoming scarcer as bottles are increasingly recycled back into bottles. While this is the right development and textiles should not disturb the bottle-to-bottle circular system, it also means that a textile-to-textile option is needed. This is why Syre is gaining interest in the industry.”
Where do you see the greatest potential for impact in the collaboration between Syre and automotive brands?
“At Syre, we take a holistic, end-to-end approach and can deliver this service to our partners and customers. Having worked in the automotive industry for nearly 30 years, I know how important it is to get everyone aligned – regardless of their position in the supply chain. We are all one team, and only by working together can we tackle the major challenges that lie ahead.”
What lessons do you think the textile industry in general could learn from automotive's approach to innovation and circularity?
“The automotive industry works with much longer time cycles than most other industries and maintains very high-quality standards. In general, I believe many other industries could learn from this mindset of quality, durability, and longevity. Another important lesson is the long-standing relationships and stability of partnerships in automotive - providing greater consistency and reliability across the value chain. And last but not least, investing in innovation to truly drive sustainability beyond words.”
What are the most exciting things on your agenda in the coming months?
“In the coming months, we will have several proof points with multiple original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and supply chain partners. These will allow us to demonstrate that our product meets the stringent requirements of the automotive industry. In turn, this will enable us to support the automotive industry in securing their demand for circular PET in the years ahead. Very exciting, and we just got started!”