New EFI policy briefs on wood-based textiles & modern wood buildings 

Based on a recent study led by EFI’s Timokleia (Cleo) Orfanidou and Mariana Hassegawa, two EFI Policy Briefs have been published. They look at the environmental impacts of wood-based textile fibres and modern wood buildings. 

The production and use of wood-based textile fibres and engineered wood products in buildings have grown in popularity in recent years due to the potential for carbon storage and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Other environmental impacts, such as acidification, water and air pollution, or biodiversity loss, are reported as potentially being associated with the processing, manufacturing, use, and disposal of (wood) products. Currently these impacts are not fully understood. At the same time, there are no systematic studies available on the non-climate environmental impacts that occur throughout the life cycle stages of wood-based textile fibres and modern wood buildings.    

“All materials and products have some impact to the environment. While wood-based products in general have less impact to the environment when compared to fossil-based products, it is important to invest in R&D to improve further the sustainability and circularity of wood-based products over their entire life cycle. Environmental sustainability considerations and circularity need to be incorporated in the early stages of product design", said the authors.

The policy briefs highlight what is currently known of the environmental impacts of wood-based textile fibres and modern wood buildings, and suggest future actions.

Read the policy brief environmental impacts of wood-based textile fibres.

Read policy brief on environmental impacts of modern wood buildings.

The full report:  Orfanidou, T., Hassegawa, H., Leskinen, P., Sixta, H., Oinas, P., Cardellini, G. 2023. Wood-based textiles & modern wood buildings. Knowledge to Action 6, European Forest Institute. https://doi.org/10.36333/k2a06

^{Photo: Satu Ikonen-Williams}