Sustainable Wood and its Positive Impact

Wood is popularly known to be one of the most common materials used for various purposes like construction, furniture-making, and creating accessories.

What is Sustainable Wood?

Sustainable wood comes from sustainably managed forests. It's renewable because the forest stewards manage the landscape to prevent damage to ecosystems, watersheds, wildlife, and the trees themselves, taking a long term rather than short term view of the resource.

According to the Government of Canada, about 38% of Canada's land area is covered in forests. Timber harvest is an integral part of the Canadian economy. To ensure that forests can continue to provide timber, the harvests must remain within sustainable limits.

The leading markets for wood products highly encourage forest owners to maintain their lands as forests. They also advised them to take care of the trees and keep them healthy always. Forest management in Canada and the U.S. operates under state, federal, local, and provincial regulations to protect natural resources, wildlife habitat, and soil and water quality.

Benefits and Uses of Wood: A Glimpse

Various types of sustainable wood provide many benefits to humans and the economy. They also play an integral part in making a positive impact on the environment. The following are the notable benefits and uses of woods that all of us should know:

- Wood is far beneficial for the environment because it is lower in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and generates air and water pollution.

- Wood aids in reducing energy consumption during the cycle of its growth, harvesting, transporting, and manufacturing.

- Wood helps in improving energy efficiency. Wood is popular to be an excellent insulator. It contains a cellular structure that permits air pockets to slow the conduction of heat.    

- Products made from wood can store carbon; thus, mitigating climate change while providing a better alternative for materials that need high amounts of fossil fuels in production.

- Using wood can sustain our forests and enhance the world's carbon storage potential. This will help forest owners to continue to manage forests and promote sustainability.

Technology also plays an integral role in developing new and innovative wood products. The Canadian Encyclopedia stated the following:

"In the 21st century, Canada's lumber and wood industries have worked towards manufacturing new, high-tech products by studying wood's microscopic, or nano, properties and developing applications for them. These include the production of a range of wood composites that can be used to replace traditional materials, most often plastics. Significant research has been conducted into at least one major application of this new use for wood, namely the manufacture of car mouldings; automobile manufacturers are keen to utilize wood instead of petroleum-based materials because it is seen as being "greener."

The article "Wood Products: Everywhere for Everyone" shared some common household products that are unknown to others, containing some wood components.

"Most Canadians are familiar with traditional forest products like lumber, structural panels, newsprint, pulp, paper, tissue, and packaging, but there are also wood components in a wide variety of other products that Canadians use every day. By breaking wood down into its central components—cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—it is possible to produce a range of substances that are needed to manufacture a variety of common household products", the same article also mentioned.

The following are some of the typical home products that contain wood components:

- Bath Towels

There are bath towels that are made with rayon. This is produced from cellulose, which is a wood component.

- Nail Polish

Some nail polishes have nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose is derived from cellulose and is infused to nail polish. It can also be applied to wood varnishes, leather finishes, and printing inks due to its quick-dry properties.

- Toothpaste

Some types of toothpaste can contain some wood components, such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and xylitol. CMC is proven to be non-toxic and hypoallergenic.

- Disinfecting wipes

Disinfecting wipes are also made of rayon, an ideal component because of its high absorbency and softness. With these characteristics, the wipes can hold a disinfecting liquid while keeping its texture and shape. Rayon is also utilized in a wide array of other products, such as clothing, bedding, and home furnishings.

- Makeup

There are makeup products that contain the wood component carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC or known as cellulose gum. This is commonly added to liquid foundations to make sure that the dissolved components stay liquid when stored or used.

- Paints

Some paints have hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), a wood component used as a gelling and thickening agent.

- Some medications

There are pills in Canadians' medicine cabinets that contain microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). MCC, a wood component, is utilized by the medical and pharmaceutical industry as a carrier.

- LCD screens

Today's LCD screens of electric gadgets contain the wood component cellulose triacetate (TAC). This component is added as a layer within the screens and serves as a polarizing film.

Quality Wooden Accessories by WoodWear

The maple tree is one of the sustainable woods in Canada. Canadian maple is known to be one of the world's most renowned trees because of its durability, toughness, and strength.

We, at Woodwear, are proud to be part of the world's aim for better sustainability. We offer products, such as wooden accessories, made from high-quality Canadian sustainable wood.

Wooden Watches

Woodwear's wooden watches are made from high-quality materials. They can be a perfect gift for yourself or your loved ones. We have two designs that you can choose from. You can shop here.

Wooden Sunglasses

Another fashionable item from Woodwear is our wooden sunglasses. Features of these sunglasses are the following:

• Made ENTIRELY from recycled Canadian Maple skateboard decks
• Designs are Unique due to the wood grain of each Canadian
• Fashionable to wear and ideal for everyday use, whether you're going for an adventure or attending a party
• Comes with natural and well-designed cork GIFT BOX - The perfect gift for any occasion

Final Thoughts

Sustainable wood should be properly managed and taken care of to keep its positive impact on the environment. Business owners, manufacturers, forest owners, and other relevant professions in the wood industry must also be well-informed on the existing regulations. This will help keep our forests healthy.