A method for producing carbon or graphite foam parts with high purity level for high-temperature insulation under vacuum or protective gas, as insulating material or as filter material, includes the following steps: introducing dry, foamable starch (1) into an open-top container (2) having a round or angular cross section, until the base (3) of the container (2) is covered amply and uniformly with starch (1); introducing the container (2) partly filled with starch (1) into an oven (4), and heating the container (2) to a foaming temperature of >180° C. over a prolonged period of several hours to foam the starch (1), until the container (2) has filled completely with carbon foam (6); withdrawing the container (2) from the oven (4) and extracting the carbon foam (6) after sufficient cooling, and optionally portioning the carbon foam (6) into carbon foam parts (6.1).