Natural fibre reinforcement

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.

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.

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 standardised method, set out in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, for quantifying the environmental impacts of a product or system across its life, from raw material extraction through manufacture and use to end-of-life. LCA results underpin environmental product declarations and embodied carbon calculations used in material selection.