What Does FSC Certified Mean?

You may have noticed that many wood or paper products - ours included - are labelled with a tree and the letters FSC beneath it.

In this blog, we'll take a closer look at what that FSC label means, the vast, environmentally conscious work done by the organisation behind those three little letters, and why FSC certification is crucial for businesses that are building a sustainable supply chain.

What does FSC stand for and what does it do?

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international non-profit organisation working to promote the highest environmental standards of responsible forestry, uphold and preserve the rights of Indigenous people and social standards, eliminate illegal logging and ensure forest products are sustainable through verified certification.

The Forest Stewardship Council defines certification as: "FSC certified forests must be managed to the highest environmental, social and economic standards. Trees that are harvested are replanted or allowed to regenerate naturally. The forests must be managed with due respect for the environment, the wildlife and the people who live and work in them. This is what makes the FSC system unique and ensures that a forest is well-managed, from the protection of indigenous people's rights to the methods of felling trees. FSC is the only forest certification scheme endorsed by WWF and the Woodland Trust."

Supporting local communities and economies

Forests and woodlands claiming to practice sustainable forest management so they can display FSC labels are inspected and certified against strict standards, which demand they comply with all laws and regulations, and uphold or enhance the social and economic wellbeing of local communities. You can read the FSC's 10 rules for forest management here.

Only products from sustainably managed forests that meet these rigorous criteria and are certified are permitted to display the FSC logo, dubbed the 'tick tree'. From garden furniture and milk cartons to our paper products, if it bears the FSC label, you can trust it is made from materials that come from responsibly managed forests.

It's not just wood products that are FSC certified. The FSC label also covers the whole supply chain, with a certified, end-to-end chain of custody that is monitored through the invoicing process.

It tracks materials and products from the forest or point of reclamation to the final, finished product, while the FSC label it carries has a code confirming its FSC authenticity.

What does it mean if something is FSC certified?

A Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo means you can be sure a paper or wood product was made with or contains forest-based materials from FSC certified woodlands or reclaimed sources. There is a huge range of FSC certified products, from milk cartons and lumber to our range of paper and boards.

There are three different labels offering more information about the timber used in the product bearing FSC certification.

FSC 100%

This guarantees all the forest-based timber or fibre used in the product comes from an FSC-certified forest. FSC 100% products are processed using the FSC transfer system, tracking forest products using one of three different control systems, ensuring any outgoing product is from verified FSC forests.

FSC Mix

This FSC label indicates the product is a blend of some/all of :

• Virgin timber or fibre from an FSC-certified forest

• Reclaimed or recycled timber or fibre

• FSC controlled wood

Under the FSC percentage system, forest products carrying the FSC Mixed label must contain a minimum of 70% FSC-certified wood/fibre and/or recycled material, while the remaining 30% must be controlled wood.

To qualify as controlled wood, it must demonstrate it was not illegally logged, harvested from areas violating traditional or civil rights, or where management activities threaten high conservation values, or from genetically modified forests.

FSC Recycled

As the name suggests, all the materials must be pre- or post-consumer reclaimed. For wood items produced under the FSC 'percentage system' a minimum of 70% must be post-consumer recycled. Paper products have no limit, but all materials must be verified as reclaimed.

What are the benefits of using FSC certified material?

In business, sustainability has become far more than just a buzzword, consumers and shareholders are becoming ever-more demanding when it comes to environmental, social and economic policies.

FSC labels not only demonstrate a company's support for the world's forests, they also help ensure better conditions for people whose livelihoods depend on maintaining this renewable resource.

As well as promoting responsible forest management, FSC actively supports Indigenous people's rights and cultural conservation measures, seeking to maintain the delicate balance between the economic needs of several industries and the crucial role forests play in mitigating climate change.

Companies making wood and paper items are increasingly sourcing materials from sustainably managed forest operators whose trees are allowed to regenerate naturally, while responsible forest owners are felling trees with sustainability in mind, ensuring future generations can reap the benefits of the timber industry.

There are some big brands backing FSC certified products too. Gucci's packaging range and swing tags are all FSC certified materials, while Burberry's luxurious packaging comes from FSC certified pulp, and Disney will only use FSC certified labels on products where it has 100% production control.

Is FSC and using FSC certified forests actually good?

Absolutely. Climate change, driven by unprecedented levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is jeopardising all aspects of life on Earth. FSC stands against this, alongside other environmental organisations such as The Woodland Trust and WWF. While sustainably managed forests are helping decarbonise the supply chain, we can all do more to protect the world's forests.

FSC's strict standards allow businesses and consumers to make informed decisions about the certified products they buy, 'greening' the chain of custody like never before.

They can help uphold good social standards by choosing to buy certified wood, paper and wood products from well managed forests, and the more brands that bang the drum for FSC certified forests and FSC certified products, the more widely they will be adopted.

Making the commitment to sell FSC certified products

Sustainability has been at the core of our business for years, and we are committed to the PEFC Chain of Custody standard which, alongside the FSC system, has contributed significantly to the growth of commercial forestry in recent years.

PEFC and FSC both use the chain of custody process to trace every stage of a paper and wood product's distribution, storage and manufacture all the way back to the FSC certified forestry source where they were made.

Our customers can use the PEFC and FSC labels, alongside any other environmental certifications and policies,to demonstrate their product uses paper from FSC certified forests, enhancing their sustainability credentials and helping them target the growing number of consumers looking to buy or support the use of FSC certified products.

We stock 21 products that have either FSC Mix or FSC Recycled labels, some of which can also be carbon balanced, offering a wide range of choice for businesses looking to add an FSC label to their products.

To find out more about the FSC label or if you want to change your paper supply to greener, more cost-effective alternatives, contact our team today at info@denmaur.com or phone 01727 738750.