This holiday season's creative gift list for composites industry pros

Source | Getty Images

Christmas is a holiday with a rich cultural history. Its origins stem from a variety of traditions surrounding the winter solstice, though it is now more readily associated today as a sacred holiday for those of the Christian faith, and as a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon leading up to the new calendar year. As a globally observed holiday symbolizing harmony, goodwill and unity, Christmas over the years has also become synonymous with gift-giving.

Now more than ever is the time to spread a little composites cheer among your friends, family, colleagues and employees. What better way to express your love and appreciation than to gift them (and maybe even yourself) with a composites-related surprise? As it has in years past, the  CW  editorial team brings you a list of unique gift ideas — the fun, the practical and the quirky — in the hopes of helping you check off some of those long gift lists (or at the least to spark some inspiration). While in no way a comprehensive list of the composites-related products that are out there ( CW  pulled a majority of these from content published this past year), we hope that this list brings you some interest, some joy and a whole lot of Christmas cheer.

If interested, you can also check out our  2022  and  2023  compiled gift lists.

1.  A subscription to  CompositesWorld ’s  e-newsletters  and/or the  monthly digital/print issue . It’s a free gift that keeps on giving.

2.  High-performance, carbon fiber wheels. Bucci composites offers a  20-inch  version tailored for driver enthusiasts, and Carbon Revolution offers a 23-inch option for its  just-revealed  Range  Rover Sport SV  Edition Two.

Source | Bucci Composites (left) and Carbon Revolution (right)

3.  An online  prepregs training course  offered via Composites Expert’s   E-Learning Composites Academy platform, aimed at new and experienced entrants.

4. A  Kape Skateboards  “Vanguard” deck  made of glass fibers reinforced with recycled polyamide. Skateboarders will enjoy this model’s “pop,” performance and sustainability features.

Source | Leo Rosas

5.  The limited-edition  El Ganso x Acciona sneaker  by Acciona Energía and El Ganso featuring soles composed of micronized dismantled wind blades.

Source | Accoina Energía, El Ganso

6.  For those who love   traveling   via   motor homes, caravans or camper vans, take a look at Knaus Tabbert’s recreational vehicles. Indupol, Büfa and AOC brought their materials and fabrication know-how for the development of a  styrene-free composite roof assembly.

7.  Arris Composites has perfected  lightweight rock climbing gear  with this carbon fiber cam, tried and tested by Arris co-founder and chief engineer, Erick Davidson and his wife.

Source | Arris Composites

8.  A piece from   Ekbacken Studios’ signature Collection no.1 of environmentally conscious  “masterpiece” furniture  comprised of Sulapac biodegradable biopolymers and natural wood.

Source | Ebacken Studios

9.  Chorda, a custom handheld electronic musical instrument featuring a synth and sample engine, plus an interface with a 12-key bridge that can use capacitive sensing technology for diverse finger interactions. Syensqo’s fiber-filled Ixef PARA resin gives  this instrument  a combination of high surface quality, scratch and warpage resistance.

Source | Syensqo

10.  Sign up for MarineShift360’s  free life cycle assessment (LCA) tool , created to enable designers, engineers, naval architects, boatbuilders and their supply chain partners to quantify the environmental impact of the marine products they produce.

Source | MarineShift360

11.  Consider investing in one of these highly accessible composite 3D printer options, the  Endless One  medium-scale continuous fiber 3D printer by Endless Industries, and CEAD’s recently launched all-in-one 3D printing  Flexcube platform.

12.  This 100% sustainable  Värmdö kayak model  built with ampliTex flax fabrics, a solid cork core and plant-based resins.

Source | Melkor of Sweden

13.  Advanced International Multitech (AIM, Kaohsiung City) high-pressure resin transfer molded (HP-RTM)  automotive wheel rims , adding to its golf clubs and bicycle offerings.

Source | KraussMaffei

14.  St. Croix’s Technica Series  fly fishing rods  offering enthusiasts responsive, moderate action, paired with the use of carbon fiber and Mito’s graphene technology.

Source | Mito Material Solutions

15.  Outdoor labels Arc’teryx and Durston have joined forced with Aluula Composites to introduce novel performance-driven, lightweight and recyclable outdoor gear for extreme mountain environments. This includes the  ultralight Wapta 30 Pack backpack  with Durston Gear made with Aluula’s Graflyte V-98 polymer material. The fabric is woven using ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

Source | Aluula Composites

16.  The lightweight  CDuro  Epona  bike ,  fitted with custom design “Intend Carbonite” carbon fiber/epoxy suspension forks, manufactured using CompoTech’s AFL winding and integrated loop technologies.

Source | CompoTech Plus spol. s r.o

17.  A tech-driven collection of   carbon fiber products through Arris Composites’ direct-to-consumer brand,  Aurorra by Arris (AXA) . Early tech enthusiasts can look out for limited-edition products from footwear to phone cases.

Source | Arris Composites

18.  In-person, hands-on composites engineering, manufacturing, repair and nondestructive inspection (NDI) courses, as well as a new course in double vacuum debulk (DVD) repair technology,  offered by Abaris Training Resources. 

19.  These  low-carbon bottle cage bike accessories , crafted entirely from recycled composite materials. Offered by Massload, it blends 50% of Swancor’s recycled carbon fiber with 50% recycled polyamide 6 (PA6) pellets.

Source | Swancor

20.  Haddy’s  recycled composite furniture  for residential, commercial and hospitality needs developed via CEAD 3D printers.