Technical Guide

Material Selection Basics For Performance Composite Programs

A practical framework for choosing reinforcements, resin systems, and consumables without overcomplicating the decision.

material selectioncarbon fiberfiberglassepoxy

Choosing the right composite material starts with understanding your process, not just your end goal. Reinforcement fabric, resin system, and consumable choices need to align — not just individually, but together as a system.

For most builders, the first decision is fabric: carbon fiber for maximum stiffness-to-weight, fiberglass for toughness and cost efficiency, or a hybrid for a balance of both. Once fabric is selected, the resin system follows — wet layup epoxies, infusion resins, and prepreg systems each have different handling requirements and performance characteristics.

MACC organizes its catalog around these decision layers. Start with the material type, match it to a resin system, then add consumables — bagging film, breather, peel ply, and release — that suit your cure cycle and tooling.

Ready to shop?

Browse the MACC catalog for the materials and consumables covered in this guide. Every product includes the specs and documentation you need to buy with confidence.