Pioneering Sustainability: Teijin Carbon Showcases New Eco-friendly Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm Short Carbon Fiber at JEC World 2025
04. March 2025 | News
Circular carbon fiber with outstanding properties sets new benchmark in sustainability
Teijin Carbon, a leading manufacturer of carbon fiber products, is presenting its latest development in sustainable materials at JEC World 2025.
Wuppertal, Germany– March 4, 2025 – Teijin Carbon, a leading manufacturer of carbon fiber products, is presenting its latest development in sustainable materials at JEC World 2025 (hall 6, G22). New Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm is a short carbon fiber product in rice-shaped form for reinforcing thermoplastic compounds that not only offers exceptional performance characteristics but also reinforces the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility and circularity. With this breakthrough, Teijin Carbon is setting new sustainability standards in the circular economy by providing manufacturers and compounders with a solution that is both technologically and ecologically future proof.
“With this innovation, we are taking another step toward a sustainable future,” says Dr. Julian Lowe, Global Industrial Group Manager at Teijin Carbon. “Our goal is to pave the way for a true circular economy in the carbon fiber industry and provide our customers with an environmentally friendly alternative that optimizes their production processes while reducing waste and emissions.”
Combining sustainability and performance
Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm short carbon fiber is made from repurposed loose fiber materials. This advancement is not only a milestone for Teijin Carbon but also a crucial step toward more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient production. By using byproduct fiber materials, the company conserves valuable resources and offers an attractive choice to companies looking to advance their sustainability ambitions by using a material with a low CO2 footprint.
Transparency and traceability
Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm marks a significant milestone with the launch of Teijin Carbon’s first digital product passport (DPP). The DPP is a datasheet, accessed via QR code, which ensures full transparency and traceability throughout the entire product life cycle. It provides detailed information about the product’s origins, materials and sustainability, from production to end of life.
The concept of the digital product passport is rooted in the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan of the European Union. Both initiatives define the product passport as a key tool for fostering a climate-friendly and resource-efficient economy.
Benefits across the value chain
Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm short carbon fiber is targeted to several groups, offering customized advantages to each:
- Manufacturers producing or distributing end products made with fiber-reinforced plastics can now offer their customers high performance and sustainability. Thanks to full traceability, the lifecycle of the material can be transparently communicated using a DPP – a strong selling point in an increasingly eco-conscious consumer market.
- Component manufacturers and mold makers working with fiber-reinforced plastics can benefit from the stability and traceability of the retrieved carbon fiber material, enabling long-term planning, security and reliable quality assurance. The product’s reduced CO₂ footprint also provides a competitive advantage where an environmental product declaration is required, particularly in markets where environmental regulations are becoming increasingly stringent.
- Compounders producing fiber reinforced thermoplastic compound pellets from chopped carbon fiber and thermoplastics can rely on a stable supply of raw materials and consistent pricing. This reduces procurement risks and strengthens the company’s environmentally friendly profile.
Wide range of applications
Circular short carbon fiber is suitable for numerous applications across various industries, including:
- Sporting goods: shoes (insoles, outsoles, etc.), golf clubs, bicycle components, fishing reels, tennis racquets, and hockey and lacrosse gear.
- Electronics: laptops, cameras, virtual reality (VR) devices, printers, cash-handling machines, vacuum cleaners.
- Automotive: vehicles, automotive components (tier 1/tier 2).
About the Teijin Group
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group with two core businesses: high-performance materials and healthcare solutions. Established in 1918 as Japan’s first rayon manufacturer, Teijin today comprises some 170 companies employing 20,000 people in 20 countries. Teijin is committed to its Purpose, “Pioneering solutions together for a healthy planet.” Teijin works together with employees and external partners to achieve its Long-Term Vision, “To be a company that supports the society of the future.” Teijin posted consolidated sales of JPY 1,032.8 billion (USD 6.6 billion) and total assets of JPY 1,251.0 billion (USD 8.0 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
About Teijin Carbon
Teijin Carbon is a subsidiary of the Teijin Group, specialized in the production and development of carbon fibers and carbon fiber-based materials. Under the carbon fiber brand Tenax™ and Tenax Next™, Teijin Carbon offers high-performance solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, electronics, civil engineering and sporting goods.
Teijin’s carbon fibers enable the creation of lightweight yet incredibly strong components – about a quarter of the weight of steel while offering ten times the strength. They also excel in fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, and chemical stability, making them ideal for a wide range of applications.
With production facilities in Japan, the United States, Germany, Vietnam and sales offices all around the world. For more information, please visit: www.teijincarbon.com
Press contacts
Teijin Carbon Europe GmbH
Katja Cohrs & Frauke Freitag
Market Communications
marketing@teijincarbon.com