It is estimated that more than 30% of produced carbon fiber ends up as waste at some point in its lifecycle. As innovators and leaders in the carbon fiber industry ZOLTEK sees this statistic as yet another opportunity to revolutionize the commercialization of carbon fiber.

While recycled carbon fiber modulus is basically the same as virgin carbon fiber, it also offers a 20 – 40% cost savings over virgin carbon fiber alternatives. Even with its 10-20% reduction in tensile strength, recycled carbon fiber remains one of the strongest of all commercial reinforcing fibers available today. Couple these benefits with the sustainability implications of giving new purpose to the 3,500 to 5,000 metric tons (>7.5 million to 11 million lb.) per year of recycled carbon fiber capacity and the potential of what was once considered “waste” becomes staggering.

ZOLTEK now offers Recycled Carbon Fiber forms as a part of our comprehensive product inventory. We believe this commitment to responsible production complements our mission to drive industries forward through stable pricing, supply availability, and advanced technology. Similar to the evolution of virgin carbon fiber as an available resource for commonplace applications, we believe recycled carbon fiber will be a large player in the next generation of commercial production around the globe.

As always, the ultimate goal is to connect our customers with a form of carbon fiber that is uniquely suited to their application. Although recycled carbon fiber may not yet be the ideal solution for every applications, we’re eager to partner with our customers to pursue the power of an even more sustainable carbon fiber in mainstream markets.