Recycled Carbon Fiber Composite Material | fairmat

Fairmat: Revolutionizing Composite Material Recycling

Introducing Fairmat, an innovative French startup dedicated to enhancing the recycling procedures for advanced composite materials. The company’s core mission is to create novel materials from waste streams and distribute them to businesses in the industrial sector.

Recent Funding and Leadership

Fairmat has recently secured $10 million in funding (€8.6 million) in a funding round spearheaded by Singular. A diverse group of angel investors also contributed to this investment.

“Our focus is on developing a solution that can be scaled to effectively manage the end-of-life cycle of these materials,” explained Fairmat founder Benjamin Saada, who previously co-founded Expliseat.

The Value of High-Tech Materials

The company recognizes the continuing importance of high-performance materials. For example, carbon fiber composites are invaluable in applications like wind turbines and aircraft due to their exceptional characteristics.

However, it’s understood that utilizing sophisticated materials isn’t always necessary. Consequently, more affordable materials – including plastics, wood, and various metal alloys – are frequently employed in the construction of numerous products.

Targeting Everyday Applications

Fairmat isn’t aiming to supplant carbon fiber composites in demanding applications like wind energy or aerospace. Instead, the company intends to substitute plastics, wood, and metals in commonly used items.

They are transforming existing carbon fiber composite waste into a new material that combines both lightness and durability.

A Sustainable Recycling Process

“Currently, carbon composite waste is largely incinerated or sent to landfills,” Saada stated. Fairmat’s process enables the recycling of this composite material through a mechanical method that isn’t overly complex.

Notably, the process avoids the need for high-temperature treatment of the carbon fiber composite waste. The startup also leverages machine learning to rigorously assess the physical attributes of its newly created material.

Selling to Industrial Clients

Fairmat’s business model centers around selling its recycled material directly to industrial customers for their own manufacturing purposes. Consider, for instance, the potential to construct the cargo compartment of a cargo bicycle using Fairmat’s material.

This would result in a lighter structure compared to traditional wood or metal, while also offering a reduced carbon footprint relative to using virgin materials.

Future Plans and Expansion

The company intends to expand its team from its current size of 15 to 30 members. They are actively pursuing partnerships with suppliers of carbon fiber composite waste and with prospective clients.

Commercial sales of the material are anticipated to begin during the second quarter of 2022. Following this initial phase, Fairmat will focus on refining its processes and exploring the recycling of other material types with varying properties.

Looking ahead, within a few years, consumers may find themselves using chairs, laptops, or even automobiles incorporating Fairmat’s materials, often without even realizing it.