Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research 
Since January 2026, the former Application Center HOFZET at the external site in Hanover has been part of the Technology for Wood and Natural Fiber-Based Materials department, as a new group under the name “Circular Composite Materials and Textiles, ZirTex”.
Together with industrial partners from the automotive, construction, furniture and environmental industries, we are finding new applications for hybrid (bio-) fiber composites and developing advanced products and technologies.
To this end, we conduct research in the fields of hybrid fiber composite materials with thermoplastic and thermoset matrix, additive manufacturing, the production and application of technical textiles and the recycling of polymeric composites.
We concentrate in particular on the higher-value usage of natural fibers and derivatives for technical applications – from fiber extraction through to product and process development. Through the close cooperation with the Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, we are able to offer a wide range of manufacturing processes and investigation methods in the areas of plastics technology and bio-composites.
Should you have any questions regarding fiber technology, please do not hesitate to contact us.