Case study
TPU truck tarp advances from concept to real-world testing
FREITAG and its industry partners are advancing a circular truck tarp concept. A woven coated with Covestro TPU is now being tested in real-world use, meets ISO side-curtain requirements for 40-tonne trucks, and is being evaluated for future recycling.
For decades, FREITAG has given used truck tarps a second life by turning them into unique bags and accessories. The next ambition is to go beyond upcycling and create a truck tarp that can ultimately return to the material cycle after its use on the road and its second life as a FREITAG product.
The Circular Tarp project therefore set out to combine two demanding objectives: the performance required for everyday truck and trailer use and a material concept designed with future recycling in mind. Achieving this requires collaboration across the entire value chain – from material development and tarp manufacturing to logistics, product design, testing and recycling.
The Circular Tarp project therefore set out to combine two demanding objectives: the performance required for everyday truck and trailer use and a material concept designed with future recycling in mind. Achieving this requires collaboration across the entire value chain – from material development and tarp manufacturing to logistics, product design, testing and recycling.
2ak6SWKY_NTvqMUA8V_h9b
https://asset-out-cdn.video-cdn.net/private/videos/2ak6SWKY_NTvqMUA8V_h9b/thumbnails/1216501?quality=thumbnail&__token__=exp=1789152219~acl=/private/videos/2ak6SWKY_NTvqMUA8V_h9b/thumbnails/1216501*~hmac=bb69bb64fad884807b7b9b36f05b759107dc04b76683489d88f5ed488f101727
MTI Joint-Solutions EN Subtitle
A truck tarp has to perform under demanding conditions for years. It must be robust, flexible and water- and dirt-repellent while also supporting printing, handling and downstream processing. For FREITAG, the material must additionally withstand dismantling, washing and conversion into bags during its second life.
Circularity adds another layer of complexity. A future circular truck tarp cannot be developed by changing one material alone. The entire system – material combination, manufacturing, use, collection and recycling – has to be considered together.
FREITAG therefore brought together partners from across the value chain to investigate different material approaches. One of the most advanced is a polyester fabric coated with thermoplastic polyurethane developed by Covestro.
Circularity adds another layer of complexity. A future circular truck tarp cannot be developed by changing one material alone. The entire system – material combination, manufacturing, use, collection and recycling – has to be considered together.
FREITAG therefore brought together partners from across the value chain to investigate different material approaches. One of the most advanced is a polyester fabric coated with thermoplastic polyurethane developed by Covestro.
The Circular Tarp project has clearly shown that the circular economy calls for cooperation and a systemic perspective.
Together with FREITAG and tarp manufacturer MehlerHeytex, a brand of Freudenberg, Covestro has advanced a truck tarp based on polyester fabric (PET) coated with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).
The PET/TPU material combination has progressed significantly since the first prototypes. Its printability, handling and suitability for downstream processing have been further improved – important requirements both for the road freight industry and for FREITAG's later bag-production process.
The PET/TPU tarp has also passed the EPEA material health test and meets ISO side-curtain standards for 40-tonne trucks (ISO 1421/1 : 2016) . This marks an important step from an early material concept toward a technically proven solution for demanding truck applications.
Real-world testing is equally important. PET/TPU tarps have been used on FREITAG's test fleet to evaluate how the material performs and ages under actual road conditions. After the first circular tarps returned from their road tests, FREITAG moved into the next phase: evaluating their suitability for dismantling, washing and conversion into bags. Bag prototypes are now being tested in everyday use for properties including toughness, flexibility and water repellency.
The final step toward a closed material loop remains recycling. Covestro is currently working on recycling processes for the PET/TPU construction.
The project demonstrates that circularity is not achieved by a material alone. It requires collaboration across the value chain and a system that considers performance, reuse and end-of-life from the beginning. With its combination of demanding technical performance and potential for future recycling, the PET/TPU truck tarp represents an important step on this journey.
The PET/TPU material combination has progressed significantly since the first prototypes. Its printability, handling and suitability for downstream processing have been further improved – important requirements both for the road freight industry and for FREITAG's later bag-production process.
The PET/TPU tarp has also passed the EPEA material health test and meets ISO side-curtain standards for 40-tonne trucks (ISO 1421/1 : 2016) . This marks an important step from an early material concept toward a technically proven solution for demanding truck applications.
Real-world testing is equally important. PET/TPU tarps have been used on FREITAG's test fleet to evaluate how the material performs and ages under actual road conditions. After the first circular tarps returned from their road tests, FREITAG moved into the next phase: evaluating their suitability for dismantling, washing and conversion into bags. Bag prototypes are now being tested in everyday use for properties including toughness, flexibility and water repellency.
The final step toward a closed material loop remains recycling. Covestro is currently working on recycling processes for the PET/TPU construction.
The project demonstrates that circularity is not achieved by a material alone. It requires collaboration across the value chain and a system that considers performance, reuse and end-of-life from the beginning. With its combination of demanding technical performance and potential for future recycling, the PET/TPU truck tarp represents an important step on this journey.
Closing material loops requires collaboration across the entire value chain. With our TPU expertise, we are helping develop a truck tarp that combines demanding performance with a pathway toward future recycling.
