Companies in Europe are developing technologies and manufacturing an increasing number of wood-based products. The goal is to find renewable and sustainable alternatives to fossil-based raw materials to help combat climate change. This follows a report published by the EU project BioMonitor. However, there is still a long way to go.

“Wood is probably present in people's lives more than we think,” says Mariana Hassegawa (Mariana Hassegawa), a researcher at the European Forest Institute.

She is one of the authors of a study on new wood-based products carried out as part of the EU project BioMonitor. The researchers found that wood-based products, which are often associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions than their fossil-based counterparts, are becoming part of our daily lives in ways we sometimes cannot even imagine, for example, in textiles. However, there are still challenges to overcome, she explains.

Tell us about these case studies

We looked for innovative products based on wood or somehow connected to the forestry sector, as well as materials that could play a role in mitigating climate change or solving problems like microplastic pollution. Currently, not all of these products are available on the market. Some will need time to reach the market.

What products did you discover?

Many products are being developed, and several are already being manufactured. We have interesting solutions related to building materials that are already being used in modern wooden buildings, such as cross-laminated timber (or CLT). CLT is mostly produced here in Europe, and the market will likely grow in the near future as several construction projects are developed.

Another type of product is wood foam, which is used for insulation. It is only just entering the market, but many companies are investing in it because it would solve the problem of using fossil fuels and could be easier to recycle.

A product that I find particularly interesting is wood fibres for textiles. Viscose is very common, but it is a very old technology. Now we also have clothes made from lyocell, and new fibres are being developed as well. This means that many companies are investing in production processes that use less harmful chemicals or do not use chemicals at all in fibre production, thus reducing the impact on the environment.

Are these products affordable?

That depends on what we compare them with. For example, wood textile fibres are perhaps slightly more expensive than polyester fibres. One of the things that emerged in our interviews with companies is that they are aware that they need to find a way to make these fibres cost-competitive. Therefore, it takes a lot of time to develop these technologies. Not only for them to be technically feasible, but also economically viable for industries.

Why is it important to produce them?

Because forests and the forestry sector contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in three ways. First, forests capture carbon from the atmosphere. Second, the forest stores carbon in wood. For example, if you have furniture made of wood, the carbon will be stored for as long as that furniture exists. Third, there is a substitution effect that occurs when a material based on fossil energy or one that generates high emissions is replaced by a wood-based material.

If we use wood-based materials, are we not contributing to forest degradation?

It is very important that any wood product is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Furthermore, many innovative wood products are produced using wood residues and waste, which are mostly used for energy today. We do not need to cut down more trees to produce many of these products.

Are politicians in Europe encouraging good forestry practices?

We have the Green Deal, so yes, we see that there is interest. The European Union is making an effort, but the forestry sector is different in each country, and they may implement changes at different paces. In some cases, they can mobilise resources to develop products more quickly or focus on specific types of products that can utilise their natural resources and industrial capacities.

And what about the public? Do you think they are interested?

Some studies show that whenever wood is visible in buildings, it improves the well-being of the people using them. We see that many libraries, for instance, are built from wood and use wooden elements. People are already very accepting of many of these materials, and they accept the idea of using wood in these products. Regarding other products, people simply do not know about the use of wood. For example, in textiles: if you are wearing a T-shirt made of lyocell, you might not notice that it is made from wood fibre. You might think it is made of cotton.

But can we be sure that the production of these materials is environmentally friendly?

I think that we as consumers must be aware that all products have some impact on the environment. But companies must continue to invest in the development of products that solve some problems, such as pollution and waste generation. They can do this by producing things that can be recycled or reused, or if they cannot be recycled or reused, they can be biodegradable. Companies must also continue to invest in thin

Companies must also continue to invest in producing things that consume less energy, less water, or water that can be recycled within the system; they can use fewer chemicals, and they can also be recycled within the same industry. Products should solve these problems without creating new ones. We saw this with so-called “biodegradable plastic”. In the end, we found that it was not really biodegradable. It just broke down into smaller pieces – microplastics, which create environmental problems.

For some companies, environmental issues are already the starting point. For example, we interviewed one company that manufactures textile fibres, which used life cycle assessment as the basis for their technology development. The company's specialists told us that if they could not produce something that had less impact on the environment, they would not put it on the market.