Inteva Products has a long, rich heritage of developing in-house custom formulations for automotive instrument panels and interior trim applications. The TPO used in this dress design is the result of Inteva expanding their materials expertise in vacuum-formable TPO constructions, to develop a custom, low-cost material with a premium look and feel suitable for cut-and-sew and wrap applications.

It features good “drape-ability” and stretch, to enable wrapping complex shapes; and it offers excellent softness and UV stability, so it won’t shrink or crack over time. Olefin materials are the lightest-weight of all plastics, which provides mass saving opportunities. This material also is suitable for hidden air bag applications.

In addition the model wearing this creation at the NAIAS Charity Preview, Inteva Products TPO can be found on other – vehicle – models including the Kenworth T680 commercial vehicle. Other TPO formulations from Inteva Products can be found in the Chevrolet Silverado Pickup, GMC Sierra Pickup, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Impala models; and in a future domestic and Asian SUV.

The Fashion Show

“We included the fashion show in The MAIN Event because I wanted to showcase the automotive industry’s innovations in materials technology and how they might be integrated into a garment,” said Keith Nagara, LTU Director of Transportation and Industrial Design Programs, and The MAIN Event Executive Committee Chairman.

“Fashion is a major inspiration to the auto industry. Automotive designers generate aesthetics on the exterior with sheet metal and on the interior with various fabrics, materials, jewelry. With this automotive industry-inspired fashion show, I wanted to demonstrate that design is a holistic approach between interior and exterior.”

Inteva Products was one of the primary sponsors of the 2014 MAIN Event. Gerard Roose, Vice President Sales and Marketing – Inteva Products, is a member of The MAIN Event executive committee.

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