Which material must make up at least 85% of a table tennis racket blade?

Natural wood must make up at least 85 percent of a table tennis racket blade.

The rule allows limited use of other materials, such as carbon fibre or compressed paper, but those materials may occupy only a restricted portion of the blade. The purpose is to preserve the traditional playing characteristics of a wooden racket while permitting controlled technological development.

Modern blades often use several layers. A manufacturer may place a thin synthetic layer between wooden veneers to alter stiffness, speed, vibration, or control. Even so, the finished blade must comply with the required wood proportion and remain sufficiently uniform.

This rule concerns the blade, not the rubber coverings. The racket’s playing surfaces are normally covered with approved rubber, and different rubber constructions can dramatically change spin and speed while the underlying blade still follows the 85-percent requirement.