Bambooder, Roode Boards extend bamboo fibers to kiteboard prototype progression

Source | Bambooder Biobased Fibers

Together with Netherland kiteboard developer Roode Boards (Eindhoven), Bambooder Biobased Fibers B.V. (Amsterdam, Netherlands) has developed a first prototype kiteboard in which Bambooder’s BambooTape Pro partially replaces traditional fiberglass in a board construction developed by Roode Boards.

Through this collaboration, both partners are investigating how bamboo composite reinforcements can contribute to more sustainable kiteboards with a lower CO_₂ impact. 

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BambooTape Pro is a unidirectional (UD) bamboo fiber tape positioned as a bio-based alternative to carbon and glass fiber reinforcements. The tape has a density of 1.3-1.4 grams/cubic centimeter, a thickness of 0.18 millimeters and a fiber content of 45% bamboo by volume in an epoxy matrix. It can be processed via press molding (prepregs) and infusion (preforms), with target applications including automotive interiors, sports gear, electronic components, and boat interiors and decks.

From a sustainability standpoint, the material carries a carbon footprint of -2.9 kilograms CO₂ eq/kg — meaning it is carbon negative — compared to 33 kilograms CO₂ eq/kg for carbon fiber and 3 kilograms CO₂ eq/kg for E-glass fiber. It is also biodegradable. In terms of mechanical performance, BambooTape Pro’s tensile strength and modulus are comparable to flax UD tape and sit well below carbon fiber.

Bambooder notes that processing compatibility data is still limited and the material is at an early stage of R&D for broader applications.

Also read: “Post Cure: Initiating automotive electrification with bamboo fiber composites.”