Natural fibre composite

A bast fibre extracted from the stem of the flax plant, the most established natural fibre for structural composite use. It is supplied as rovings, unidirectional tapes and woven or stitched fabrics, and is valued for its low density, vibration damping and renewable European sourcing.

A resin in which some or all of the petrochemical feedstock is replaced with material derived from renewable biological sources such as plant oils or sugars. Bio-based epoxies and polyesters are increasingly offered for composites and coatings to reduce embodied carbon, with the bio-based content declared as a proportion of the formulation.

A material made from two or more constituents with distinct properties that remain identifiable in the finished material, most commonly a fibre reinforcement embedded in a polymer matrix. The combination delivers properties, such as high stiffness and strength at low weight, that neither constituent achieves alone.

The greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing a material or product, covering raw material extraction, processing, manufacture and transport, and in whole-building assessments also construction, maintenance and end-of-life stages. It is expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent and is commonly reported through environmental product declarations.

Fibre drawn from molten glass, the most widely used reinforcement for polymer composites. Different formulations, such as E-glass, E-CR glass, S-glass and AR glass, balance cost, strength, electrical performance and chemical resistance. It is the standard reinforcement in GRP laminates, including liquid applied GRP flat roofing systems.