Nova Carbon and Safran Partner to Revolutionize Carbon Fiber Recycling in Aerospace
On April 15, 2026, Nova Carbon, a deep-tech startup based in Mérignac, France, announced a strategic collaboration with Safran, the French aerospace leader headquartered in Paris, to recycle carbon fiber production scrap using an innovative textile-based approach. This partnership aims to transform aerospace manufacturing waste into high-performance reusable materials, addressing growing sustainability demands in the aviation and defense sectors.
Carbon fiber is a critical material in modern aircraft and spacecraft due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, but its production generates significant scrap. Traditional recycling methods often degrade fiber length and mechanical properties, limiting reuse in high-value applications. Nova Carbon’s proprietary technology overcomes this limitation by realigning and reshaping recovered fiber tows without cutting or damaging them, preserving both fiber length and tow structure.
The process results in a technical textile whose mechanical performance meets the standards required for advanced applications. According to joint technical studies conducted by Safran and Nova Carbon teams, the recycled material demonstrates potential for reuse in demanding industrial contexts, including aerospace components.
Founded in 2023 by Hugo Cartron and Vincent Gamboa, Nova Carbon emerged from French research institutions, including CNRS and the University of Bordeaux. The company is supported by Bordeaux Technowest and focuses on developing sustainable, high-performance recycled textile materials for industrial integration, such as non-crimp fabrics, dry tapes, and preforms compatible with infusion, prepreg, and thermoforming processes.
Safran’s involvement brings industrial scale and application expertise to the initiative. Hélène Frenois, Director of the Sustainability and Recyclability Program at Safran, emphasized that the collaboration seeks to strengthen circularity in carbon fiber use, with Safran teams playing a driving role in the partnership.
As of April 2026, the collaboration remains in the development and validation phase, with ongoing work to align the recycled material with industry standards. No public financial details or specific timelines for commercial deployment have been disclosed.
This initiative reflects a broader trend in aerospace manufacturing toward circular economy principles, where waste streams are reconfigured into valuable inputs. By preserving the intrinsic properties of carbon fiber through mechanical rather than chemical or thermal processes, Nova Carbon and Safran aim to set a novel benchmark for sustainable composite materials.
For further information, visit the official Nova Carbon website or Safran’s sustainability communications channels.