Recyclable Composite Materials for the Upholstered Furniture Industry

Abstract

The furniture industry is one of the world's most important sectors, but due to the scarcity of wood and its high-cost companies have to look for alternatives. Natural fiber composites represent one alternative because many fibrous plants are easy to cultivate and generate high yields. The purpose of this work is to present formulations of materials that use short fibers such as poplar and willow. The paper presents five formulations of composite materials using willow, poplar, and hemp fibers, mixed with thermoplastic fibers, in different percentages. The consolidation in the form of a fibrous layer is done by Carding Airlaid Fusion Technology (CAFT). From the S5 material (20% willow, 20% poplar, 20% hemp, 5% bicomponent, and 35% polypropylene) twelve boards (marked S5.1–S5.12) are thermoformed by setting-up different parameters. This material was characterized, and the results are presented in the paper.