A composite material can be defined as a combination of a matrix and a reinforcement, which when combined gives properties superior to the properties of the individual components.
In the case of a composite, the reinforcement is the fibres and is used to fortify the matrix in terms of strength and stiffness.
The reinforcement fibres can be cut, aligned, placed in different ways to affect the properties of the resulting composite.
The matrix, normally a form of resin, keeps the reinforcement in the desired orientation. It protects the reinforcement from chemical and environmental attack, and it bonds the reinforcement so that applied loads can be effectively transferred.