NILLA made with MAGRITTE composite

The MAGRITTE project redefines the boundaries of sustainable additive manufacturing. Developed through the collaboration between Tessilquattro (Aquafil Group), the University of Trento, Indivenire, ProM Facility, and Caracol AM, the project focuses on optimising a new high-performance material for large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM).

At the core of the innovation is an ECONYL® matrix – a regenerated polyamide 6 from waste such as fishing nets and carpets – reinforced with clay, a natural mineral filler. Unlike traditional composites, this material does not contain glass fibres, ensuring full recyclability at the end of the product’s life cycle.

Innovation extends beyond the material itself. A dedicated software tool has been developed to simulate the polymer printing process: by integrating technical and rheological data, it predicts material behaviour during printing, optimises parameters, and significantly reduces the number of setup iterations. The result is an efficient process that combines aesthetic quality with industrial circularity, enabling the production of complex objects designed to be recycled and reintroduced into the production cycle. This achievement, supported by the Autonomous Province of Trento, demonstrates how digital technologies and Made in Italy expertise can drive the transition towards a truly regenerative economy.

At The New State of Materials, Tessilquattro (Aquafil Group) presents a possible application of MAGRITTE composite through NILLA, a design by Elide’s Beltrami, created for multiple uses in the furniture sector while remaining easy to transport. Developed using large-format additive manufacturing, the product leverages post-consumer and post-industrial waste transformed into virgin-like nylon reinforced with clay.