US-based textile and chemical firm Milliken & Company has released its first MFT (Mouldable Fabric Technology) offering for the outdoor industry. MFT is a lightweight thermoplastic composite that is suitable for the kayak industry and other manufacturers of recreational equipment.

MFT can be used as a replacement for moulded plastics and for aramid and fibreglass composites. It is made from a co-extruded polypropylene tape yarn with a highly drawn core for strength properties within a lower melt polymer matrix for composite processing. The tape yarn is woven into a fabric, and multiple layers of fabric are stacked and consolidated with heat and pressure to form rigid sheets. The thickness of the sheets depends on the number of layers of fabric in the structure. MFT is available in fabric or sheet stock and is suitable for panel or moulded applications where impact resistance, stiffness and weight are primary concerns. It is fully recyclable.

The first MFT product to be introduced is a kayak in partnership with kayak company Liquidlogic. Liquidlogic's new MFT Sojourn 14 weighs 35 pounds compared with a comparable boat made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) materials which weighs 55 pounds. MFT is also said to provide superior impact performance compared with current materials on the market, including polyethylene, ABS, and glass and aramid composites.

The Sojourn 14 MFT kayak will be available for retail next year.