Muirhead brings circularity in-house
This is a special feature from the April 2026 AIX Hamburg issue of PAX Tech, on page 50.
Muirhead is taking BioPRO’s potential further by bringing full-scale production under the roof of Scottish Leather Group
For decades, the aviation industry has been caught between two competing pressures: delivering a premium cabin experience while making meaningful progress toward environmental responsibility.
As Mark Hooton, Business Development Director – BioFoam, tells PAX Tech, “Muirhead has long believed the industry should not have to choose. True sustainability must be built into the very foundations of how materials are conceived, engineered and manufactured.”
Mark Hooton, Business Development Director – BioFoam
This philosophy underpins the next major step in Muirhead’s journey toward more circular cabin solutions, with the announcement of a new in-house BioPRO Foam production facility.
Purpose-built circularity, engineered in-house
BioPRO first appeared at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) last year as a patented foam containing 20 percentprotein content reclaimed from Muirhead’s manufacturing process, signalling a move towards materials that make use of existing resources rather than relying solely on synthetic inputs.
Now, Muirhead is taking BioPRO’s potential further by bringing full-scale production under the roof of Scottish Leather Group.
BioPRO is a patented foam containing 20 percent protein content reclaimed from Muirhead’s manufacturing process
“This marks far more than an operational progression. It reflects a broader commitment to closing loops within the supply chain and embedding circularity into the everyday reality of manufacturing,” says Hooton.
The new facility has been purpose-built alongside Muirhead’s cabin engineering specialists, the team responsible for designing, patterning and prototyping the seat covers that airlines use across fleets.
By uniting foam with seat design expertise, the company has created a working environment where ideas can move more quickly, materials can be refined more effectively, and new seating concepts can be developed with a level of cohesion that is difficult to achieve when processes are separated.
“For airlines, this represents more than the arrival of a new foam on the market. It opens the door to integrated seating solutions designed from the inside out, delivering lighter-weight performance, increased durability, reduced chemical content and lower lifecycle impact. It enables airlines to rethink cabin comfort and sustainability as a single, unified objective rather than a trade-off between passenger experience and environmental targets,” explains Hooton.
As the aviation sector continues navigating its sustainability ambitions, BioPRO Foam offers a tangible step toward a material that reduces reliance on traditional chemicals while meeting the demands of high-performance seating.
Beyond investment in manufacturing capability, the new facility reinforces a wider commitment to engineer better materials, lower environmental impact and supporting airlines on a path toward more circular cabins.
