Abstract
With increasing demand for automobiles in the global market, and a simultaneous pressure to address the issue of sustainability, there is continuing need for the incorporation of natural fiber based materials into automotives. The focus of recent research has been to produce compostable cotton fiber-based composites that can be safely disposed off after their intended use without polluting the atmosphere, in an environmentally safe manner. It is evident from studies being done jointly at the University of Tennessee, University of Bremen, Germany and USDA, New Orleans, that by suitably combining cotton and other natural cellulosic fibers, with an appropriate biodegradable binder fiber in the right combination a moldable nonwoven fabric can be produced. Results from these studies addressing the structure and properties of the composites, with respect to their suitability for automotive applications are discussed.