The purpose of the project is to develop poles in flax composite with bio-based epoxy and in the therefore introduce more sustainable materials in the manufacturing of ski and outdoor poles.
In the world of skiing and outdoor activities, where people get to see the effects of climate change up close, the expectations of manufacturers of equipment and materials taking responsibility for the environment are becoming larger by every day.
Therefore, this project has been initiated as a collaboration between Kang Poles, Podcomp, RISE SICOMP and the University of Borås. The goal is for fossil-based carbon fiber to be replaced by flax and fossil-based epoxy with bio-based epoxy. Replacing carbon fiber would greatly reduce the environmental impact, as carbon fiber is very energy-intensive in production and also produced by fossil chemicals. With the help of optimized design and optimized manufacturing processes, they also want to make the transition cost-effective.
Why this is important
We are in great need of more sustainable materials in the ski and outdoor world. This project can give us great competence and competitive advantages over other manufacturing countries in the area. If the production is also about high-quality sporting goods, it can be an important starting point for further production of sustainable products in Sweden. Overall the project can further advance Sweden’s position in the area and in the long run have positive effects on the Swedish economy.
Expected results
The goal is to create a bio-based flax-composite that meets the demands of a skipole regarding dimensions and temperature resistance. One of the goals is to be able to show a prototype of the bio-based pole at trade fairs at the end of the project. The techno-economic evaluation of the project will be of utmost importance if the production of the poles is to be moved to Sweden. Moving the production to Sweden is an important part of the project.
Participants
Kang Poles, Podcomp, RISE SICOMP and Borås University.
Budget & time plan
The project has a total budget of 1 MSEK and will run for six months – between November 2021 and April 2022.