Materi'act Launches Fiber-Reinforced Composites to Upgrade Visible Automotive Components

Materi’act, a supplier of sustainable materials, announced a breakthrough in sustainable bio-composite materials for injection molding in the automotive industry. Building on the success of its NAFILean-R material, the company has launched a new series called NAFILean Vision. The former is a recyclable bio-composite material made from recycled plastic and reinforced with 20% hemp fibers. The new material not only meets strict performance standards but also enhances the visual appeal by highlighting its biomass components. Materi’act, a subsidiary of Forvia (formerly Faurecia SE), a French Tier 2 automotive systems supplier, stated that this new material sets a new benchmark for environmentally friendly and visually appealing automotive components.

Image source: Materi'act

A New Era of Visible Green Technology

NAFILean Vision is the latest member of the NAFILean materials family. This innovative bio-composite material combines low-carbon recycled plastics sourced from post-consumer waste with renewable biomasses such as hemp, wood, reeds, grapevine branches, and even oyster shells, which help to sequester carbon dioxide. The diverse range of biomass fillers enables the creation of a series of visibly sustainable materials, whose rich appearances, with a variety of colors, textures, layers, and high-quality tactile sensations, showcase the natural properties and origins of the materials.

Key data and features include:

The proportion of renewable components can be as high as 25%.

According to life cycle assessment, using post-consumer waste materials through mechanical recycling can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75%.

Enhance automotive design standards with advanced decorative effects.

Support the circular economy and minimize waste to the greatest extent possible.

The visual effect can be achieved through standard injection molding process without the need for post-processing, thereby reducing costs.

Single injection molding process

Unlike traditional materials that may require additional processing, NAFILean Vision can be produced using a single injection molding process, eliminating the need for finishing or film application, thereby further reducing carbon dioxide emissions and lowering costs.

NAFILean Vision grades contain up to 25% biomass, which is carefully selected for its high carbon sequestration potential; at the same time, they can be combined with specially developed coloring technologies to meet the requirements of automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for advanced color materials and surface finishes (CMF).

Setting new standards for visibility and sustainability

Lifecycle assessments (LCAs) of NAFILean Vision indicate that its carbon footprint can be reduced by up to 75%. This material is fully recyclable, supports the circular economy, and minimizes waste. Recently, a marine-recycled plastic variant of NAFILean Vision was showcased in a concept car. Its unique formulation contains 10% renewable oyster shell particles and 20% recycled plastic, the latter collected by Materi’act’s ecosystem partner Plastic Odyssey. The material has received enthusiastic responses from automotive original equipment manufacturers, paving the way for future mass applications.

Unlock Innovative Potential

In addition to sustainability advantages, NAFILean bio-composites also enhance design flexibility and simplify the development process through tools such as 3D digital surfaces and comprehensive design and processing guidelines. This aligns with current design trends and enables innovative and environmentally friendly automotive interior designs.

Elise Moreau, CEO of Materi’act, stated: "NAFILean Vision takes NAFILean-R's high performance a step further with advanced decorative effects. It offers a ready-to-use solution that combines mechanical strength with outstanding aesthetics, aiding the automotive industry in seamlessly transitioning to more sustainable practices. Collaborations with automotive designers have shown that NAFILean Vision is not only highly attractive but also easy to apply."