Good practice:

New Generation Materials - recyclable composite materials from natural fibers

Being a big consumer of wood materials used for furniture components produced here, TAPARO company is continuously interested in becoming more competitive and reducing the environmental impact. R&D department is looking for better solutions to replace or reduce the quantity of wood and they started to develop composite materials from natural fibres like hemp or linen. Several types of composite materials have been produced for different furniture parts and a patent was obtained for that invention.
The specialists of TAPCOM center of excellence designed furniture components using composite materials, such as armchair models and frames. After 1 years of tests and very encouraging results, some innovative models of armchair from composite materials have been delivered on the market, extending the cooperation with big retailers in the world and penetrating many countries. TAPARO also identified solutions for reusing the waste materials or scraps that are reintroduced in the same process or other process like injections or extrusions.
All waste is reutilized or recycled, proving that composite materials can be considered material without waste. In addition, a very important characteristic of this process is that the flow can be automatized. Taking into account that natural fibers can be harvest every year but the trees from the forest are good for harvest only after 100 years, the process for using composite materials contributes to saving forests and protecting environment.

European founds in value of 8 500 000 euros are attracted by Taparo in partnership with 2 Universities and 3 Faculties from Iasi and Cluj Napoca: 1 000 000 euros just for research; innovative recipe and technologies for composite from natural fibers; capacity for extruded technologies.

TAPARO delivered more than 14 000 armchair from composite materials to biggest retailers from entire world with very good market feedback.
Using EU funds up to 60% free, the capacity for new generation materials can increase from 1.000 to more than 10.000 tons/ year. The final products are more sustainable: better resistance and high durability, lighter in weight, 100% reusable, low cost of raw materials, less formaldehyde and contamination risk, production flow automatized, shorter and quick

The most important challenge is to determine the correct recipe for every application.

Taparo has built close partnerships with various actors across industries, spanning from local authorities, universities and research institutions, to furniture associations, based on EU grants for R&D.
The composite materials can be obtained from a wide range of cheap row materials: linen, hemp, jute, willow/poplar, coir, textile waste, etc. The new generation materials are versatile and can be used in many fields like furniture, automotive, constructions or decorations. Composite materials have good characteristics of resistance, flexibility and malleability, can be processed in different ways (injection, extrusion) and can be used to produce components with very innovative shapes.
In addition, the composite materials are recyclable and use efficient local resources. Waste and scraps of composite materials resulting from the manufacture process can be recycled and significant economy of wood can be obtained, preserving thus the forests and the environment.