Gurit and Rubisco set out to create a composite sandwich panel that doesn t force a trade-off between performance and sustainability. The project represents a continuation of the Shearwater class evolution, transitioning from traditional timber structures to fully composite architectures featuring carbon fiber, epoxy systems, and foam cores. These materials are engineered to deliver superior stiffness-to-weight ratios, durability, and structural consistency, key performance metrics in competitive sailing.

At the core of the build are Gurit s epoxy resin systems, structural adhesives, and foam core materials, which collectively enable a lightweight yet mechanically robust platform. This integrated material stack supports both performance optimization and manufacturing reliability, two critical levers in race-grade marine engineering.

The result is a panel that brings together recycled and bio-based materials with natural fibre reinforcement. Gurit s PET recycled structural foam core, Gurit s AMPRO BIO epoxy resin, and Rubisco s BioTEX hemp fabric, used together to form a lightweight structural panel that is made with up-to 100% recycled or bio-based material content depending on the configuration.

The resulting panel can also be tailored to individual needs and material requirements with changes to thickness, reinforcement architecture and dimensions all being fully adjustable. This means the same core concept is suitable for a wide range of applications and performance requirements.

Rubisco: Reimagining Tomorrow Through Natural Materials

Rubisco is a New Zealand-based materials company with a clear focus to build naturally through the use of natural fibers like hemp and wool, turning them into high-performance materials. Rubisco works across construction, textiles, interiors and advanced composites, driven by a mission to innovate with like-minded partners, such as Gurit, to enable a switch to a more sustainable way of life.

One of Rubisco s key offerings is their BioTEX fabric the material chosen for this project with Gurit. BioTEX is a natural fiber reinforcement fabric built specifically for composite manufacturing. It s engineered to function as structural reinforcement within resin systems, which means natural fibers can be used in composite layups for structural and semi-structural applications in a way that traditional fabrics simply aren t designed to support.

Hemp brings some inherent advantages to this kind of work. It s lightweight, renewable and naturally strong. And, due to its distinctive woven texture, when used in a sandwich panel, it not only offers strong structural performance but also a distinctive visual style that allows it to work as a design feature in certain applications. Through the collaboration with Gurit, Rubsico s BioTEX has shown what s possible when natural fibers work alongside advanced composite materials.

The Sustainable Sandwich Panel Concept

The Gurit x Rubisco panel is built around the simple principle of a composite sandwich structure. In basic terms, thin outer skins carry tensile and compressive loads while a lightweight core is sandwiched between them, providing stiffness and structural efficiency without adding unnecessary weight. This is a well-established construction method in lightweight engineering.

For this particular panel, the outer skins are made from BioTEX hemp fabric which is infused with AMPRO BIO epoxy resin, while the core is Gurit s recycled PET structural foam. The combination brings together recycled polymer, plant-derived resin chemistry and renewable natural fiber in a single end panel.

Core thickness, laminate thickness, fabric architecture and overall dimensions can all be varied to meet different performance targets. The same fundamental material concept can produce a thin decorative interior panel or a thicker structural panel capable of carrying meaningful loads. Due to this flexibility, it gives engineers and designers the freedom to tailor the panel to their needs and explore new possibilities across different applications.

Gurit PET Structural Core

In 2024, Gurit recycled 891 million post-consumer PET drinking bottles and recycled 10,890 tons of PET waste generated through our own operations. The result of this is, and at the center of the Gurit x Rubisco panel, is Gurit PET a structural foam core made from up to 100% post-consumer recycled content.

It is a lightweight, versatile, strong and cost-effective core material with excellent properties and lower resin uptake with the additional benefit of reducing a product s carbon footprint Gurit PET offers up to 65% lower CO emissions compared to conventional foam cores. With strong compressive properties and low density, it does everything you d want from a core material that is being used in a sandwich structure. Not only does it increase stiffness and strength but it also keeps the overall panel weight extremely low. Gurit PET has the added benefit of contributing to thermal and acoustic insulation which is particularly useful for internal applications.

Rubisco BioTEX Hemp Fabric

In the outer skins of the panel use BioTEX from Rubisco their natural reinforcement fabric that has been designed as a sustainable solution for use in composite structures. The hemp fibers in the fabric offer good tensile strength at low density. When combined with Gurit s AMPRO BIO epoxy resin system, they produce durable skins, with a unique visual finish.

Gurit AMPRO BIO Epoxy Resin

The resin system used in the Gurit x Rubisco panel is called AMPRO BIO and is Gurit s bio-based epoxy resin system. A significant proportion of its raw material comes from plant-derived feedstocks, which means the resin can incorporate renewable content while still delivering mechanical performance with good fiber wet-out, strong adhesion, and consistent structural properties. For this panel, AMPRO BIO binds the hemp fibers in BitTEX together into a rigid laminate, creating a strong bond between the outer skins and the Gurit PET core.

Potential Applications

Due to the panel s configurability, it means it is suitable for a wide range of applications across varying sectors. For example, in marine interiors, it could be used for bulkheads, cabinetry, wall linings and ceiling panels. Due to being lightweight, it can support the overall efficiency of a vessel, increasing its overall sustainability on the water.

In motorhomes, campervans and recreational vehicles, lightweight sandwich panels are already widely used for cabinetry, interior partitions, seating structures and storage. Using materials with better sustainability credentials in those applications without sacrificing performance offers an easy win for manufacturers looking to improve the sustainability of their vehicles.

The panel is also well suited to architectural and interior design including decorative wall panels, acoustic elements, partitions and feature surfaces where the natural fibre texture can become part of the visual identity of a space. In commercial furniture, the combination of strength, low weight and distinctive aesthetics gives designers a unique material. It could be used in desk surfaces, modular systems, storage and workspace partitions, offering a solution that is both functional and visually interesting.

Beyond these, the panel system could be applied in exhibition structures, retail environments, transport interiors and many other settings where customised composite panels are needed.

The Future of Sustainable Composite Panels

The Gurit x Rubisco collaboration works as a demonstration of where composite panel manufacturing is heading. By combining multiple sustainable materials, it shows that modern composites deliver the expected performance whilst also contributing to a circular economy.

It also shows that with carefully considered material selection; the resulting composite materials don t have to stay behind the scenes. When the material surface has visual character such as the hemp fibre in BioTEX, composites can move into design-led applications where they can be fully appreciated. To learn more about any of the materials used in the Gurit x Rubisco composite panel, please contact us using the button below.