Fibre

  • Luke Smith

Repurposing Carbon Fibre waste to tackle aviation’s hidden polluter, food waste.

This project aimed to tackle two issues within the aviation industry. Airline catering is the industry’s hidden polluter, particularly through its high content of plastic and aluminium packaging. Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturers are increasingly using Carbon Fibre as a construction material, however, its end-of-life solutions are limited.
FIBRE proposes an environmentally sound catering package in line with international regulations. This is achieved by combining lightweight reusable recycled Carbon Fibre dishes and compostable packaging.
The main challenge faced in this project was finding a material that would provide an environmental benefit at all stages of it’s life cycle whilst adhering to strict regulations. The reusable recycled carbon fibre dish is ultra-lightweight and designed to be washed and reused. Compostable film and paper inserts hold the food and are designed to optimise single use efficiency.
The pre-booking service allows users to choose their meal (or choose not to eat) before their flight. This allows the accurate loading of meals, reducing weight and saving fuel. Pre-booking is also shown to improve the passenger experience.