FSC® x Innovayt // EU LIFE
Scaling circular solutions for forest-based fibres across Europe
Across Europe, demand is growing for renewable alternatives to fossil-based materials, with forest-based fibres already used across packaging, construction, furniture and consumer goods. But that demand creates real pressure. Climate change, limited resource availability and tightening EU sustainability regulations mean companies can no longer rely on recycling and renewable sourcing alone. Therefore, they need more robust ways to document, verify and improve how materials are sourced, used and kept in circulation across complex, multi-country supply chains.
That’s the gap LIFE project FIBRA sets out to address. Led by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), the project explores how FSC’s globally recognised certification system can evolve to support a more circular, efficient and responsible fibre economy, building on 30 years of forest certification infrastructure to go beyond responsible sourcing and into responsible use. Implemented across Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and France, the project focuses on four interconnected areas: circular business models, recycled materials, alternative fibre sources and cascading use of fibres.
In practice, this means piloting a Circular Economy reporting module within Chain of Custody certification; developing guidance and market tools to drive uptake of FSC Recycled materials; testing approaches for integrating agricultural residues and other non-forest bio-based fibres into certified supply chains; and building digital tools and methodologies to document how materials are used across multiple lifecycles. Alongside FSC’s national and global organisations, the consortium brings in Aarhus University, the University of Southern Denmark, Circle Economy, ECOS (Environmental Coalition on Standards), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, combining certification expertise, academic rigour, circular economy methodology and civil society perspective.
Awarded €4 million in EU LIFE funding, FIBRA will help FSC scale its work on circular fibre solutions across Europe. Innovayt supported FSC throughout the preparation and submission of the successful application, helping structure the project concept, align it with LIFE programme requirements, coordinate input across the international consortium and translate FSC’s strategic ambitions into a clear and competitive funding proposal.
Turning a project of this scale and complexity into a competitive LIFE application is no small task. FIBRA spans four innovation areas, seven countries and a consortium ranging from universities to global circular economy organizations. Innovayt helped us structure that complexity into a clear and convincing proposal, while keeping FSC’s circular vision and roadmap at the centre. Their experience with the LIFE programme and their talented, dedicated team made a real difference.”
– Loa Dalgaard Worm, Global Circular Economy Lead, FSC