The evolution of yachting between sustainability and personalization

 

Credit: Benetti

 

In 2025, interior design for yachts is smart, sustainable and super personalised. The on-board experience becomes multisensory and material, with surfaces that welcome and protect. This is described in the report by Yachtingmates, one of the leading luxury yacht brokers: new superyachts combine technology and craftsmanship, aesthetics and performance.

 

In this scenario, leather plays a leading role, thanks to its versatility, its perceptual value and the technical performance that make it perfect even in extreme conditions. According to the International Yacht Designers Association, 65% of the superyachts launched in 2023 feature interiors using eco-compatible materials. Leather integrates here alongside certified woods, synthetic teak, bamboo, cork, recycled fabrics and low-impact metals. Attention to provenance and production cycles has become central.

 

Azimut, with the Seadeck 7, sets a new standard. The vessel features hybrid propulsion that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 40% and has interiors designed by Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez using recycled, recyclable and natural materials: the exterior decking is made of cork; bulkheads and floors use 30% recycled PET instead of PVC.

 

Benetti Yachts has signed a collaboration with Loro Piana Interiors to bring sustainable fabrics such as Connemara, a robust linen, or Papeete, used for upholstery, cushions and bedspreads, onto its yachts. The concept of custom yacht evolves: every element of the interiors is conceived to reflect the owner’s personal style, and leather is favoured for its ability to transform through textures, colours, thicknesses and finishes.

 

In the Admiral 72 by Giorgio Armani, leather dresses desks, panelling and surfaces with sophisticated restraint. Paired with black Marquinia marble, Canaletto walnut, golden Calacatta and mother-of-pearl, it conveys a tailored elegance. Every piece is made to measure in Italy, in a perfect blend of fashion, design and seamanship.

 

The furnishings of the Pershing GTX80 are highly customisable and reach full expression in the owner’s cabin: the walls are fully clad in cloud-blue leather, with differentiated treatments to create visual rhythm and depth. Light-coloured leather sofas blend with metallic surfaces, in a calibrated play between warm and cool tones, tradition and innovation.

 

Biophilic design and material mixing: the sea within. The connection between interior design and nature is growing stronger. Soft lines, neutral palettes and tactile materials create a visual continuum between the inhabited space and the seascape. Here, leather takes centre stage alongside stone and wood.

 

The Benetti Oasis 40M embodies this vision. Full-height windows amplify natural light, while teak wood, leather and matte brass create a relaxing, organic environment. The infinity pool and the stern waterfall reinforce the bond with the sea.

 

The Zeelander 8 also adopts a soft luxury aesthetic: white perforated Alcantara upholstery pairs with glossy white furniture and diamond-stitched leather seats. The long kitchen counter is in Corian and the dining table is covered in stain-resistant white leather.

 

In yachting, leather is not just a styling detail but a technical material that must guarantee resistance, comfort and durability. Exposed to sun, humidity and salt spray, it is treated with anti-UV, water-repellent and anti-mould finishes. It is essential that it retains colour, softness and tactility over time.

 

On horizontal surfaces, such as seats or wall coverings, leathers that are easy to clean, stain-resistant and with good grip even when wet are preferred. On board, in fact, aesthetics cannot be separated from functionality: every material must be beautiful but also practical, safe, durable.

 

Leather meets this challenge perfectly: it adapts, welcomes, resists. It is material, sensory and performant, perfect for accompanying every journey with elegance and reliability.