Flax Fiber Woven Tapes: Superior Mechanical Strength & Eco‑Friendly Design

vombaur GmbH’s (Wuppertal, Germany) showcases its woven tapes composed from flax fibers, a lightweight design that takes into consideration both functionality and ecological impact.

In addition to high rigidity and strength, flax fibers possess a low density. Combined, these characteristics offer natural fiber-reinforced plastics (NFPs) stability, including a reduced likelihood of splintering, unlike glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP).

NFPs also reduce production costs and improve the material’s carbon footprint. The cultivation of flax binds CO₂ and the production of NFP generates 33% lower CO₂ emissions than conventional fiber-reinforced plastics. Energy consumption is reduced by 40%.

Further, the natural fiber woven tapes offer a circular economy. According to vombaur, the number of recycling cycles without loss of quality is higher for NFPs than for glass- or carbon fiber-reinforced plastics; the thermoplastic matrix of the composite can be melted and recycled after a product’s life cycle. 

The NFPs also supports versatile applications. According to Tomislav Josipovic, sales manager, vombaur, composites from its flax tapes are used to reinforce high-tech skis as well as for extruding state-of-the-art window sections. The company also support applications for the automotive, wind energy, construction, sports and many other industries with its composite textiles.