Zemeunvalsts.lv introduction

Colleagues from the forest sector and related industries, upon glancing at this article, might be surprised that we are discussing such well-known things or might wonder if we have confused our intended audience. Of course, we could quote the classics and say that repetition is the mother of learning, or recall the observation made by former Finance Minister Jānis Reirs (and not only him) that, unfortunately, even people working in ministries sometimes think that money is created in an ATM. Or we could simply wonder why a portal intended for people in the forestry sector in Finland, a land of forests, is publishing something so well-known. We should be proud of the things we are rich in, know how to use, and put to work, and we must be reminded of them. If we do not, time will pass, and many will start to think that a wooden shelf or a knife with a wooden handle just exists and 'appears' in the shop – you go, pay, and take it... It's just there!

Cellulose (wood fibre), which naturally both regenerates and decomposes, is used to manufacture many products that make everyone's life easier and more environmentally friendly.
In Finland, cellulose is produced from wood obtained through forest thinning, as well as from wood processing by-products such as sawdust. Cellulose is a durable material used to manufacture most paper and cardboard products, including tissue paper and other necessities. It is useful not only for making durable materials but also for rigid, flexible, and even transparent ones. Furthermore, cellulose production by-products and nanocellulose are increasingly being used in various innovative materials that can replace fossil and chemical raw materials.

1. Paper
Have you ever drawn, read a book, browsed a newspaper, or received handouts at school or work? There is no doubt you have! In practice, it seems we have all encountered this. Although digitalisation has reduced paper production volumes, it remains one of the best-known cellulose products, and no one is predicting an end to its use.

2. Cardboard
Your latest online purchase has likely 'arrived' at your door or parcel locker, packed in a cardboard box made from cellulose. Cardboard is used to protect items (objects) – furniture, computers, shoes, dishes, toys, drills, phones, food, etc. – during storage or transport.
Paper and cardboard can be recycled 5–7 times, after which the wood fibre can be used for energy production. Almost 94% of the paper and cardboard consumed in Finland in 2020 was recycled. In the same year, the recovery rate for recycled paper in Europe as a whole was around 74%.

3. Food and beverage packaging
To reduce the amount of waste, it is important to ensure appropriate food packaging. Solutions based on wood can replace plastics made from fossil raw materials.
Cellulose polymers are highly transparent and can be used, for example, to make clear packaging. A layperson would certainly not see the difference between wood-based and fossil-based plastic. It should be emphasised that in the European Union, wood-based plastic is not classified as a single-use product, so it has wider application possibilities.
Cardboard made from cellulose is also used for food and beverage packaging, such as milk and juice cartons. Until now, the inside of beverage packaging was coated with fossil plastic; now, thanks to innovations in the wood industry, the food industry is transitioning to a plastic-free era.

4. Food additives
When tasting wine, one sometimes mentions a 'note' of wood in its flavour profile, but wood is contained in many other food products as well. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), which is ecological and non-toxic, is used to make ice cream 'smooth' and delicious. Cellulose is also contained in toothpaste.
CMC is hygroscopic; it attracts and holds water, and we can 'encounter' it in various food products, such as ketchup and frozen confectionery, and it has many other applications. If you want to check whether or not your fridge or pantry contains wood cellulose, look for the most common CMC E-numbers – E466 and E468.

5. Toilet paper
The average annual domestic consumption of toilet paper in Finland is 60 rolls, while in Germany, it is 134 rolls.
As the weather turns colder, people start sneezing more often. You are likely blowing your nose into a tissue or handkerchief made of cellulose, which is both ecological and gentle on the skin. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare recommends disposing of tissues after use to prevent infection, although, on the other hand, it is unlikely your health would deteriorate if you used the same tissue twice.
The absorbency of cellulose is also useful in various types of nappies and sanitary pads.

6. Clothing
Are you worried about the ecological burden caused by synthetic fibres and cotton? The textile industry is one of the least ecological sectors in the world.
People have known how to make fabric from wood for more than a hundred years, although this process requires a lot of water and toxic chemicals. Consumers, in turn, are demanding more environmentally friendly materials, while at the same time, the demand for cotton is rising.
The solution to this problem is Finland's new generation of wood fibres, obtained from certified forests and requiring no chemicals for production. They are made from cellulose and can be used to manufacture clothing that is attractive, durable, and more ecological.

7. Medical supplies
The absence of impurities, biocompatibility, and absorbency are just some of the reasons why cellulose is used in medical products. Its application is broad: medical bandages and gauze, additives for toothpaste, pharmaceutical packaging, respiratory masks, surgical gowns, pregnancy test components, laboratory equipment, dialysis filtration material, and plaster casts used for bone fractures.

8. Building materials
Do you like wooden houses? Do you like wooden furniture? Would you like to use renewable chipboard in your home instead of plasterboard, which is manufactured using mined gypsum?
Cellulose can be used in the manufacture of building materials, such as medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and chipboard, which are used in construction and furniture production.
https://forest.fi/article/eight-familiar-uses-of-wood-pulp-could-you-manage-your-daily-life-without-them/#335df703