The Fab Lab

Many materials traditionally used in O&P fabrication are not eco-friendly and carry hazards such as chemical exposure, skin irritation, and risk of harmful particle inhalation. Newer materials including nontoxic resins, plant-based and composite carbon fiber alternatives, are offering choices to make O&P fabrication better for the planet, patients, technicians, and perhaps even the bottom line.

Although typically research and development has focused on locally available, sustainable, low-cost materials for developing and less resourced countries, interest in eco-friendly materials is growing in developed nations and is finding a place in O&P. A range of plant-based materials including palm leaf, ramie, hemp, sugarcane, kenaf, and bamboo have been researched.