Something a little different…
Natural Fibre Panels
CCP Gransden has worked with a wide range of novel materials. With increased interest in sustainability from customers, a variety of natural fibres have been trialled in the factory.
Recently, CCP Gransden produced a range of artistic panels for a respected local designer, Professor Jane McCann.
The panels were part of her exhibition at the renovated Portview Mill complex, which reflected that the region once had the biggest linen industry in the world, growing much of the material required locally, and explored how designers and entrepreneurs can take inspiration from this.
For this project CCP Gransden worked with a range of distinct natural fibres which were carefully selected by Jane through her established network of materials experts and farmers in the region.
The home-grown fibre materials chosen added a real provenance to the pieces designed, allowing them to be traced back to specific farmers.
The natural fibres were carefully dried-out and then paired with a bio-based resin system to make the production more environmentally friendly. The production team then engaged a compression tool and specifically picked a water-clear low-viscosity infusion resin so that the non-woven fibres could be utilised with minimal processing (as close to their natural form as possible), and formed into smooth flat panels, with the clear resin demonstrating the fibres’ unique patterns.
The selected bio-based resin system is solvent free, does not contain any CMR components, and delivers a high-TG, with low coloration.
Notably, CCP Gransden’s facility can ensure close control of a range of key parameters, and the equipment runs with >45.5% of its energy generated from renewable sources located in Northern Ireland.
CCP Gransden would like to thank Jane for passionately exploring more unique composites materials and promoting the journey towards net-zero.
More news on some of our other sustainability-focused projects to be posted here soon…
