Volkswagen is developing a hemp-based leather alternative for future vehicle interiors. The revolutionary material, developed with German company Revoltech, could enter Volkswagen vehicles from 2028 and represents a major opportunity for the global industrial hemp industry.
The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation.
Electric vehicles are changing the way cars are powered, while artificial intelligence is transforming how they are designed and driven. But another revolution is taking place inside the vehicle: manufacturers are searching for new materials that are renewable, recyclable and less dependent on fossil fuels.
One of the most interesting developments is coming from Volkswagen.
The German automotive giant is working with material innovation company Revoltech to develop a hemp-based alternative to conventional leather and synthetic leather for vehicle interiors. The material, known as LOVR™, is made primarily from industrial hemp residues and is designed to be plastic-free and suitable for circular manufacturing.
Volkswagen and Revoltech are targeting 2028 for potential series use in vehicle interiors.
This does not mean Volkswagen has announced that every vehicle will be completely leather-free by 2028. Instead, the company is investigating the use of the new hemp material in future vehicle interior applications, with series production targeted from 2028.
For the hemp industry, however, the significance could be enormous.
What Is Volkswagen’s Hemp Leather Alternative?
The material at the centre of the project is LOVR™, developed by German start-up Revoltech.
LOVR is a bio-based surface material made using industrial hemp fibres and natural additives. According to Revoltech, its current material consists of approximately 60% hemp fibres, combined with natural additives including waxes, pigments and bio-based glues. The company says it contains no plastics or synthetic binders.
The hemp fibres are sourced from agricultural residue streams in Europe, primarily from hemp grown for seed production.
This is an important part of the technology.
Rather than requiring farmers to dedicate additional land specifically to manufacture automotive upholstery, the process can use hemp residues that are generated by existing agricultural production.
In other words, what was previously considered a by-product can become a high-value industrial material.
Revoltech describes LOVR as a single-layer material that can be processed using conventional industrial equipment. It can also be embossed, perforated, cut, formed and finished with different textures, including leather-like and suede-style surfaces.
Why Hemp?
Hemp is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops, but modern technology is opening up applications that were almost unimaginable a few decades ago.
Industrial hemp can produce strong natural fibres that can be processed into textiles, composites, insulation, packaging and other materials.
The plant is also relatively versatile from an agricultural perspective.
Hemp can be grown for fibre, seed and other industrial applications, meaning that a single crop can potentially supply multiple markets.
The Volkswagen project demonstrates another important opportunity: using hemp waste as an industrial feedstock.
Revoltech says the hemp used in LOVR comes from traceable European agricultural residue streams and does not require additional agricultural land or resources specifically for the material.
That concept fits directly into the growing circular economy.
Instead of:
Grow → harvest → process → discard waste
the goal becomes:
Grow → harvest → process → recover residues → manufacture new products → recycle
That is a very different approach to industrial manufacturing.
Is Hemp Leather Actually Leather?
Technically, no.
The term “hemp leather” is useful for explaining the concept to consumers, but LOVR is not animal leather.
It is a plant-based leather alternative designed to replicate some of the appearance, texture and functional characteristics associated with leather.
This distinction is particularly important because many so-called “vegan leathers” are actually manufactured using petroleum-derived plastics such as polyurethane or PVC.
That means replacing animal leather with synthetic leather does not necessarily eliminate fossil-fuel dependence.
Hemp-based materials offer a different approach.
LOVR is designed without synthetic plastics and is made from bio-based components. Revoltech says the material is designed for circular use and can be recycled at the end of its useful life.
For consumers interested in vegan and sustainable products, that could make hemp-based materials particularly attractive.
Volkswagen and Revoltech: A Major Automotive Partnership
Volkswagen announced its cooperation with Revoltech in August 2024.
The project involves Volkswagen’s Materials Technology, Design, Component Development and Group Innovation teams, which are working with Revoltech to investigate the material for automotive applications.
The objective is not simply to create an environmentally friendly material in a laboratory.
It needs to work in a real car.
Automotive interiors experience considerable wear and tear. Seats and door panels are exposed to friction, sunlight, temperature fluctuations, moisture, cleaning products and thousands of hours of use.
Consequently, a material destined for automotive production has to meet much higher performance requirements than a material designed simply for a handbag or fashion accessory.
This is why the Volkswagen partnership is significant.
It provides a pathway for hemp-based materials to be tested against the demanding requirements of the global automotive industry.
How Durable Is Hemp-Based LOVR?
Sustainability is only useful if a material can actually perform.
According to Revoltech’s latest technical information, LOVR has demonstrated substantial abrasion resistance during laboratory testing.
The company reports 402,400 Martindale abrasion cycles without pitting in its latest industrial production run. It also reports tensile strength of 7.26 MPa lengthwise and 5.15 MPa crosswise, alongside additional flexibility, colour-fastness and water-vapour-permeability testing.
The material can also be produced in different thicknesses, generally between approximately 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm depending on the application.
It can be embossed to create a traditional leather grain, perforated for breathability or processed to create a softer suede-like surface.
These properties are particularly important for car interiors.
A material does not have to look exactly like traditional leather to succeed. It has to deliver the combination of appearance, tactile quality, durability and manufacturability that consumers and automotive designers expect.
Hemp Could Reduce Plastic Use in Car Interiors
One of the most important aspects of the Volkswagen project is that it potentially addresses two problems at once.
The first is the environmental impact associated with animal leather.
The second is the use of petroleum-derived synthetic materials.
Many conventional leather alternatives use plastics. They may be marketed as vegan, but their environmental credentials can be complicated because their production and end-of-life disposal can remain linked to fossil resources.
LOVR takes a different approach.
Revoltech states that its material contains no plastics and no synthetic binders. The company describes the product as bio-based and designed for circular use.
That could make hemp particularly attractive to manufacturers looking to reduce the amount of fossil-derived material in their products.
What Happens to Hemp Material at the End of a Car’s Life?
This is where the concept becomes even more interesting.
The automotive industry has historically focused heavily on manufacturing and vehicle emissions. Increasingly, however, manufacturers are considering what happens to vehicles and their components when they reach the end of their useful lives.
A circular material is designed with that entire lifecycle in mind.
LOVR’s single-layer structure is intended to facilitate recycling, while Revoltech also describes the material as designed for circular use and biodegradability under appropriate conditions. Importantly, the company states that it does not biodegrade during normal vehicle use; active composting conditions are required.
That distinction matters.
A car seat should obviously not start decomposing because it is exposed to humidity or normal temperatures.
The objective is durability during use and a more sustainable pathway at the end of the product’s life.
Could Hemp Become a Major Automotive Crop?
This is potentially the biggest story.
Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers. If hemp-based materials successfully move from pilot projects into mass production, other automotive companies will inevitably take notice.
The consequences could extend throughout the agricultural supply chain.
Farmers could gain another market for industrial hemp.
Processors could develop new methods for extracting and preparing hemp fibres.
Manufacturers could develop new hemp-based composites, upholstery and interior components.
Automotive suppliers could begin designing entire product lines around natural fibres.
And consumers could become increasingly familiar with hemp as a mainstream industrial material.
The Volkswagen project therefore represents much more than a new type of seat covering.
It is a potential demonstration of how agricultural residues can become valuable industrial resources.
Hemp Is Already Used in Cars
Hemp is not completely new to automotive manufacturing.
Natural fibres including hemp have already been used in automotive composites and interior components, particularly in Europe.
The attraction is relatively straightforward.
Natural fibres can provide useful mechanical characteristics while potentially reducing the dependence on conventional synthetic materials.
What makes the Volkswagen-Revoltech project particularly interesting is the focus on a visible leather-like surface material.
The hemp is no longer hidden inside a composite panel.
It could become one of the materials that consumers actually touch and see every day.
That could dramatically increase public awareness of industrial hemp.
From Cannabis Controversy to Industrial Innovation
There is another interesting cultural dimension to this development.
For decades, public discussions surrounding cannabis have focused overwhelmingly on its psychoactive properties and drug policy.
Industrial hemp tells a very different story.
Hemp can be used to produce food, textiles, building materials, paper, bioplastics, insulation, animal bedding and industrial fibres.
Now it is being considered for premium automotive interiors.
This helps demonstrate why the cannabis and hemp industries should not be treated as a single market.
Industrial hemp varieties are cultivated for their fibre and seed characteristics and are distinct from high-THC cannabis used for recreational or medicinal purposes.
As regulations evolve around the world, industrial hemp could become increasingly important as a renewable raw material.
What Does Volkswagen’s 2028 Target Actually Mean?
Headlines suggesting that “Volkswagen is replacing leather with hemp in 2028” are attention-grabbing, but they need some qualification.
Volkswagen has not announced that all leather or synthetic leather will disappear from its vehicles in 2028.
Instead, Volkswagen and Revoltech are developing and piloting LOVR for automotive interiors, with 2028 identified as the target for potential series use. Revoltech’s current information confirms that the Volkswagen project remains in the pilot phase.
That is still a major milestone.
Moving a material from a laboratory concept to an automotive pilot and then potentially into series production requires extensive testing, engineering and supply-chain development.
If the project reaches mass production, it could become an important reference point for the wider automotive industry.
Awards and Industry Recognition
LOVR has also received recognition beyond the Volkswagen project.
Revoltech says LOVR received the German Sustainability Award 2025 and the German Ecodesign Award 2025.
The company also received the Plug and Play Global Innovation Award for Sustainability in 2025 for work involving Motherson Innovations and Volkswagen on circular automotive interior materials.
These awards do not guarantee that hemp will replace conventional automotive materials, but they demonstrate that the technology is attracting attention from the sustainability, design and industrial innovation communities.
What Does This Mean for the Hemp Industry?
For hemp producers, perhaps the most important lesson is that the future of hemp may not be limited to traditional markets.
The global hemp industry has spent years developing markets around CBD, food, supplements, textiles and wellness products.
Industrial materials could represent another enormous opportunity.
Automotive manufacturing operates on a completely different scale from many consumer hemp markets.
A successful automotive material could require significant quantities of processed hemp fibre and create long-term industrial supply contracts.
That could encourage investment in:
- Industrial hemp cultivation
- Fibre processing
- Decortication
- Hemp residue collection
- Material manufacturing
- Natural fibre composites
- Automotive component production
- Recycling infrastructure
- Bio-based adhesives and coatings
For countries looking to develop domestic hemp industries, this is particularly relevant.
A mature hemp economy does not necessarily need to depend on CBD.
It could instead develop a diversified ecosystem involving agriculture, food, construction, textiles, manufacturing and advanced materials.
Could South Africa Benefit?
South Africa has significant agricultural expertise and an established automotive manufacturing sector.
The country also has a developing industrial hemp industry.
If global vehicle manufacturers increasingly adopt natural-fibre materials, South Africa could potentially participate in this emerging supply chain.
The opportunity could extend beyond growing hemp.
South African companies could potentially become involved in fibre processing, material manufacturing, automotive components and research and development.
For the local hemp industry, the Volkswagen-Revoltech project is therefore worth watching closely.
The bigger question is whether South Africa can develop the processing infrastructure required to turn hemp grown on farms into consistent industrial-grade fibre and advanced materials.
That is where the real economic opportunity may lie.
The Future of Hemp Is Bigger Than Cannabis
The Volkswagen project illustrates something important about the future of hemp.
Hemp is increasingly being viewed not simply as a cannabis-related crop, but as a renewable industrial resource.
A hemp plant can potentially become food, fibre, textiles, insulation, construction materials, packaging or advanced composites.
In the case of LOVR, agricultural residues can potentially become a premium material used in products manufactured by some of the world’s largest companies.
That is a significant change in perception.
The future hemp industry could ultimately be less about one particular product and more about creating an interconnected industrial ecosystem around a versatile renewable crop.
Volkswagen, Hemp and the Road Ahead
The race to develop sustainable materials is accelerating.
Automakers want lighter, cleaner and more recyclable vehicles. Consumers increasingly want transparency about what products are made from. Governments are introducing circular-economy policies. And manufacturers are looking for alternatives to petroleum-based materials.
Hemp sits at an interesting intersection of all these trends.
Volkswagen’s partnership with Revoltech provides one of the strongest examples yet of hemp moving into the mainstream automotive materials industry.
The target is 2028.
Whether hemp-based LOVR ultimately becomes a standard material across Volkswagen’s vehicle range remains to be seen. The current project is still in its pilot phase.
But the direction is clear.
Industrial hemp is no longer simply a niche agricultural crop.
It is becoming part of the conversation around the future of manufacturing.
And if Volkswagen successfully brings hemp-based interior materials into series production, the impact could extend far beyond one car company.
It could help establish hemp as one of the world’s next-generation industrial materials.
For farmers, manufacturers, automotive suppliers and the wider cannabis and hemp industry, 2028 could therefore be a year worth watching.
The next revolution in hemp may not happen in a dispensary or a CBD shop. It could happen inside your car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Volkswagen replacing leather with hemp in 2028?
Volkswagen is not currently announcing a complete replacement of all leather. Instead, Volkswagen and Revoltech are developing and piloting LOVR, a hemp-based material for automotive interiors, with potential series use targeted from 2028.
What is LOVR?
LOVR is a plant-based material developed by Revoltech using industrial hemp fibres and natural additives. The company says its material contains no plastics or synthetic binders.
Is hemp leather real leather?
No. “Hemp leather” is commonly used as a consumer-friendly description, but materials such as LOVR are plant-based alternatives to animal leather rather than leather itself.
Is Volkswagen using industrial hemp?
Yes. The Volkswagen-Revoltech project specifically involves industrial hemp, with the hemp fibres sourced from agricultural residue streams.
Is hemp-based car upholstery durable?
Revoltech reports significant abrasion, tensile-strength and flexibility testing for LOVR. Its latest published technical information reports more than 400,000 Martindale abrasion cycles without pitting under the stated test conditions.
Is hemp better than synthetic leather?
It depends on the material and its entire lifecycle. LOVR is designed without synthetic plastics and uses hemp residues, giving it a different environmental profile from conventional petroleum-based synthetic leather. Independent lifecycle comparisons remain important when evaluating competing materials.
Could hemp be used in other car components?
Yes. Hemp and other natural fibres can be used in composites and interior components. The Volkswagen project is particularly notable because LOVR is being investigated as a visible surface material for vehicle interiors.
What could Volkswagen’s hemp project mean for hemp farmers?
If hemp-based automotive materials achieve mass production, demand for industrial hemp fibre and agricultural residues could increase. This could create opportunities for farmers, processors and manufacturers throughout the hemp supply chain.