James Cropper and Hexcel Shortlisted for Composites UK Innovation in Materials Award

James Cropper Advanced Materials is delighted to announce that UNIMAT™, developed in collaboration with Hexcel, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Composites UK Innovation of the Year Award 2026. The nomination recognises a breakthrough in the development of high-performance composite materials that combine sustainability, manufacturability and mechanical performance.

UNIMAT™ Recognised for Advancing Circular Composites Through Aligned Recycled Carbon Fibre Technology

The award shortlist highlights the success of the collaboration between James Cropper and Hexcel in addressing one of the composites industry’s most significant challenges: creating commercially viable, high-performance solutions from recycled carbon fibre and post-industrial waste.

Developed using James Cropper’s proprietary VECTIS™ fibre alignment technology, UNIMAT™ is a highly aligned discontinuous fibre reinforcement available in both recycled and virgin carbon fibre formats. Delivering fibre alignment of up to 95% within a nonwoven architecture, it combines excellent directional properties with the conformability and processability required for industrial composite manufacturing.

With more than 30% of carbon fibre estimated to become waste during manufacturing, the composites sector faces increasing pressure to improve material efficiency and incorporate recycled content without sacrificing performance. UNIMAT directly addresses this challenge by creating a pathway for recycled carbon fibre to be used in demanding composite applications and integrated seamlessly into established manufacturing processes, including prepreg lay-up, resin transfer moulding and compression moulding.

The development has been supported through collaboration within the European Composites Circular Alliance (ECCA), where James Cropper and Hexcel have worked together to accelerate the adoption of circular solutions across the composites value chain. Hexcel’s expertise in composite materials and processing has helped validate the application potential of UNIMAT in high-performance composite structures.

Lauren Wolstencroft

Head of Marketing

“ We are incredibly proud to be shortlisted alongside Hexcel for the Composites UK Innovation of the Year Award. UNIMAT™ demonstrates what can be achieved when industry partners work together to address complex sustainability challenges. By combining recycled carbon fibre and post-industrial waste with advanced alignment technology, we have created a material that delivers both performance and environmental benefits, helping manufacturers accelerate their transition towards more circular composite solutions. ”

Lauren Wolstencroft

Head of Marketing

Manufactured at James Cropper’s facility in Cumbria, UNIMAT™ has been developed to support the growing demand for lightweight, high-performance materials in aerospace, transportation, sporting goods and industrial applications. The material can be produced at industrial scale in widths up to 1,200 mm and is designed to integrate into existing composite production routes without significant process changes.

The shortlisting follows a strong year for the UNIMAT™ programme, which has attracted significant interest across global composites markets and further strengthens James Cropper’s position as a leader in advanced nonwoven technologies and sustainable materials innovation.

The winners of the Composites UK Industry Awards will be announced at the Composites UK Industry Awards Dinner later this year.