DEARBORN, MI-Ford, through the use of Repreve, plans to divert about 2 million post-consumer plastic bottles from landfills for use in new vehicles beginning with the 2012 Focus Electric, the first vehicle to feature branded Repreve's seat fabric made from a hybrid blend of recycled plastic bottles and post-consumer waste.

The companies will collect bottles at events throughout the year, beginning with the North American International Auto Show and Consumer Electronics Show. These bottles will be recycled back into Repreve recycled fibers.

Focus Electric is the first vehicle with interior materials made of 100% clean technology, including the use of Repreve recycled fibers; seating in each vehicle interior uses roughly 22 recycled plastic bottles

Recycling effort is under way to raise awareness that only 29% of plastic bottles are recycled in the United States - nearly half the rate as in Europe.