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including recycling and ultimate disposal. For instance, in the United States,

manufacturers are encouraged to produce materials and products by practicing the 4Rs,
(i) Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash to be discarded (sourced reduction); (ii)

Reuse containers and products; (iii) Repair what is broken, and (iv) Recycle as much
as possible as well as buying products with recycled contents [52].

In this light, natural fibre composites have dominantly been used to produce

upscale interior for mid-range and luxury cars due to their advantages such as lower
density which is preferable for lightweight structures, deformation and crash behaviour

resistance as well as ease of drapability. The use of such composites often depends on
the overall concept and price of the vehicle [53]. As observed in Figure 2.12, out of

the 150,000 tonnes of composites for passenger cars and lorries produced in Europe in
2012, 80,000 tonnes were made of different wood and natural fibres. Natural fibre

composites have also been used for door trims and dashboards trims, and in recent

year, they have been used as the inner panels on the door trim of the BMW 5 series, as
shown in Figure 2.13.

Use of wood and natural fibres for composites in the European automotive
Industry 2012

7 % wood
5 %
Cotton
8 % Flax

38 % Kenaf
Hemp

Others
(Mainly jute, coir, sisal and abaca)

19 %

Total volume of 80, 000 tonnes
25 %

Figure 2.12 The usage of wood and natural fibres for composites in the European
automotive industry in 2012 [53]
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