As the automotive industry continues to be an ever-relevant space, there are plenty of opportunities for composite materials, including those made with natural fibers, to be integrated into both the interiors and exteriors of vehicles. Recently at JEC World 2026, IDTechEx spoke with established and up-and-coming material providers who stated that many well-known automotive companies are now opting for more sustainable materials within their vehicle manufacturing processes.
IDTechEx's portfolio of Sustainability Research Reports and Subscriptions is home to a diverse range of technologies contributing to an environmentally conscious future, with IDTechEx's report, "Composite Materials for Green Energy Markets 2026-2046: Sustainable Technologies, Players & Trends", including electric vehicle and automotive applications.
Cars parts made from natural fibers
Natural fibers, produced from renewable resources, can reduce CO2 emissions and improve circularity, unlike carbon fiber which comes from non-renewable petrochemicals. Bcomp, winner of the JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2026 for automotive and road transportation parts, aims to move the use of flax composites from sports cars into road cars, working with companies like BMW Group. According to Bcomp, flax fibers have been used in motorsports for more than 10 years, but the company's partnership with BMW is seeing the fibers now being integrated into regular vehicles to make more of an environmental difference and ramp up sustainability.
The replacement of carbon fiber with Bcomp's high-quality, natural fibers in car roof, hood, door, and rear applications will reportedly lead to up to 85% CO2 reductions. The company has also produced flax composite fabrics for use within car interiors, including seat surfaces and seatbacks. Having previously worked with Polestar, Bcomp aimed to produce sustainable materials for car seat trim components that were both aesthetically luxurious, high quality, and sustainable. In replacing traditional plastic materials, Bcomp were also able to allow for up to 50% weight reductions.
As Bcomp claim to be 'working to kill the carbon ecosystem' within vehicle manufacturing, their end-of-life processes are also much more sustainable. When the materials, including polypropylene, are disposed of, they can be recycled and used for processes including injection molding for new parts.
Bcomp at JEC World 2026. Source: IDTechEx.
EcoTechnilin are a company specializing in the transformation of natural and recycled fibers to produce fabrics that can be used within automotive applications. In dashboards and doors, their fabrics can be used as a reinforcement material underneath leather, while the company also exhibited boot parts made from natural fibers. Volvo, Mercedes, and Porsche, were amongst a wider list of companies reportedly using EcoTechnilin's materials. In their efforts to work with predominantly recycled materials, including recycled polypropylene, and fibers such as flax, hemp, and kenaf, EcoTechnilin aims to minimize waste and promote a circular economy.
EcoTechnilin at JEC World 2026. Source: IDTechEx.
A wider landscape of sustainable composites for automotives
Multiple other companies that exhibited at JEC World, including Bitrez and Freshape, also demonstrated interest in perpetuating sustainability efforts within the automotive sector, with their presentations of biobased resins and composites.
Bitrez spoke to IDTechEx about their development of biobased, recycled cases for electric vehicle batteries, with their bio-benzoxazine resin made from 53% biobased sources. The company is also working to develop fibers from hemp, with a focus on manufacturing products that can achieve commercial scale, and reportedly working towards increasing product end-of-life sustainability. Freshape is another company prioritizing sustainability, with its natural fibers used within automotives including BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, and McLaren. The company is also producing bioresins, including lignin-based bio-epoxy resins that can achieve similar results to traditional resins.
For more information on sustainable materials within automotives, visit IDTechEx's reports, "Composite Materials for Green Energy Markets 2026-2046: Sustainable Technologies, Players & Trends" and "Sustainable Plastics for Automotive 2025-2035: Market, Players, and Forecasts", and the wider portfolio of Sustainability Research Reports and Subscriptions.
