Israel Carrete is a PhD Researcher in the Design for Sustainability research group at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of TU Delft. He works on the circular design of composite materials through structural reuse, finding ways to give them a second life upon decommissioning.

As a materials scientist and industrial designer by training, Israel is interested in the intersection of these two disciplines to improve the circular use of materials in product design, especially materials that are not easily recycled, like composites. Composite materials are a hybrid of materials that, when combined, provide superior properties, but this same material combination complicates end-of-life treatments. The aim of his research is to improve the circularity of composite-based product design by exploring the (re)use of fiber-reinforced polymer composites.

Prior to starting his PhD, Israel was a technician at the Applied Labs. There, he maintained and managed the Materials and Chemical Labs while aiding researchers working on material innovation and testing. 

Israel is no stranger to innovative materials. His background in Integrated Product Design and materials science has led him to develop a 3D printable composites made from plastic and textile waste. A curiosity about the applications of new materials in design brought him to TU Delft. Here, his graduation project involved characterizing the mechanical properties of a bio-manufactured plant root material.