Forest products have been around for thousands of years. The oldest timber construction products are crafted oak water wells in northwest Germany, dating back to the early Neolithic Period. Ever since the early days of wood products, innovation has been at the heart of wood utilization. As consumer and business habits and attitudes have changed over the last two decades, paper has lost market share, leaving the forest products industry looking for the next big thing. Technology is leading the way as researchers look to using the basic components of wood fiber to develop truly remarkable, eco-friendly products.
Companies with different specialties are forming partnerships with one goal in mind – develop eco-friendly products that reduce their carbon footprint. Wood may just hold the key to achieving many of these product development goals.
The versatility of wood is inspiring and endless. Let’s take a look at the ways companies and researchers are seeking to utilize wood in its many forms and properties.
Wood Fiber in Clothing Design
Finnish company, Spinnova, has been working with clothing companies to produce apparel using its wood-based fiber. Spinnova offers technology that creates fibers from wood, wood waste, leather, textiles, or food waste without harmful chemicals. The fiber produces zero waste as well as minimal CO2 emissions and water use.
One company that has collaborated with Spinnova is Adidas, which is committed to sustainability and finding new ways to reduce plastic waste. To achieve this mission, they seek to forge partnerships and develop products that use recycled materials or those that are derived from nature. Adidas is proud to offer the first ever hoodie made with 30% wood-based fiber and 70% organic cotton. The fabric maintains a natural color because it is void of chemicals and dyes, using less water for production. According to the Adidas website, the adidas TERREX HS¹ hoodie is the first release of the product line using this “breakthrough technology for manufacturing textile fibers out of renewable materials.” The fabric is derived from wood-based fibers, ground mechanically into a paste with water, then spun into a textile fiber without the use of harmful chemicals.
The North Face is another company that is partnering with Spinnova to create outdoor gear and apparel with sustainable benefits. From the National Sporting Goods Association website (nsga.org): “It’s our overarching goal to build more circular products, constantly develop innovative materials, and to further reduce the environmental impacts of our products. Spinnova is the ideal partner on that journey,” said Oliver Lang, global vice president of product development for The North Face.
Invisible Coating Creates Fireproof Wood
Researchers in Singapore have developed a coating to improve the flame resistance of wood used in building construction. Many builders use paint or fire-retardant panels to improve the fire resistance of structures. But these methods cover the wood.
Researchers from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have created an alternative coating that enhances the fire-retardant qualities but also allows the wood to be visible.
Most timber only has a coating to protect the structure from insects, weather, or moisture, but being able to withstand high heat is a problem. Researchers have created a coating that is only 0.075mm thick and transparent to the naked eye. The coating chemically reacts with the resin in the wood, forming char. This char is extremely heat resistant and protects the wood underneath, evident as the char is scraped off of the surface.
According to the developers, they expect this coating will be in high demand, especially with construction companies looking to meet fire codes.
Wooden Batteries Create a More Sustainable Option
In Sweden, a battery manufacturer, Northvolt, is exploring a wood-based material called lignin that is being used to develop batteries. Lignin is a plant-derived polymer found in the cell walls of dry-land plants, one of the largest renewable sources of carbon. Trees are composed of 20–30% lignin, which is a strong, natural binding agent.
Northvolt, in partnership with Finnish paper company Stora Enso, is working to create “the world’s first industrialized battery featuring an anode sourced entirely from European raw materials.” The hope is to have a battery that lowers the carbon footprint and the cost.
Sweden isn’t the only country researching the possibility of a wood-derived battery technology. Researchers from Brown University have created a tree-based material that would replace liquid electrolytes in next-generation batteries. The technology has greater ion conductivity than other polymer ion conductors. The solid ion conductor combines copper with cellulose nanofibrils, polymer tubes derived from wood.
“Using materials nature provides will reduce the overall impact of battery manufacture to our environment,” stated Yue Qi, a professor at Brown’s School of Engineering.
Wood Fiber Beer Bottles for Eco-friendly Partying
The Denmark-based beer company, Carlsberg Group, and packaging company, Paboco, have developed a wood fiber bottle lined with plant-based polyethylene furanoate (PEF). PEF is made from natural raw materials and is sustainable as well as biodegradable.
The bottle, in its pilot phase, will be distributed across Europe to stakeholders, then become a reality if the pilot is a success. While the development has had some challenges, Carlsberg’s vice president of group development, Stephane Munch, stated, “Getting good test results, collaborating with suppliers and seeing the bottles being filled on the line is a great achievement.”
The bottle has insulative properties to keep the beer colder longer. It will not replace glass bottles or cans, but has about a fifth of the carbon footprint of glass. Dry pulp is purchased by Pabco, then refined and mixed with water on site. The entire bottle is bio-based except for the cap, and as a whole is fully recyclable.
Sawdust Waste Used to Produce 3D Printed Objects
Forust, a company in Burlington, Massachusetts, has developed technology to use sawdust to 3D print everything from consumer goods to luxury interiors. Annually, 15 billion trees are cut down, resulting in millions of tons of wood waste. Some of the sawdust and waste is sold for other uses, but a large portion is left to be burned or taken to a landfill. This can contribute to air pollution as it releases large amounts of lignin and fatty acids, which can harm water and wildlife.
By processing the sawdust for 3D printing, Forust can create strong, carbon-friendly wood products. From detailing in high-end vehicles to wood decor, architecture, and furniture, Forust has the ability to print finishes which replicate wood grains such as oak or walnut.
Currently, designers are also working toward 3D printed wood that is durable enough for building, such as structural columns with intricate designs. The company is limited by scale, but hopes to complete the work on a robotic arm that will allow for the development of larger sized objects.
Is Wood the Future?
The unique qualities of wood fiber and breakthroughs in nanotechnology are potential game changers for the utilization of scrap wood waste. Many of these products are years away from full commercialization. But they point to the potential that wood waste can offer.
For example, utilizing wood fiber in clothing products means fewer chemicals and less water consumption. Creating a coating that will withstand the intense heat of fire makes harvested timber last longer. Batteries that are sourced from wood reduce waste and have a lower carbon footprint. An eco-friendly bottle that is more readily biodegradable is just the beginning of more sustainable packaging. Reducing sawdust waste made by the logging industry by turning it into 3D printed objects opens doors to new possibilities in construction and design.
Wood may be among the oldest building materials on the planet, but in many ways, wood is just getting started as a resource for innovation.
