Where does our wood come from? A journey to the roots of our furniture
September 4, 2025
Small Living Stories
FSC-zertifiziertes Holz, Birkensperrholz, PEFC-zertifiziert, Forstwirtschaft Finnland, nachhaltige Holzproduktion
Where does our wood come from? A journey to the roots of our furniture
How sustainable is the wood used to make our furniture – and how is it processed?
These questions led Matthias and me to Finland. More specifically, to the UPM plywood mills in Savonlinna and Pellos, as well as to the forests where our birch plywood comes from.
Our goal was to see with our own eyes how responsibly forestry and production are carried out in Finland, and whether the values that Müller Small Living stands for – durability, transparency and sustainability – are also lived out by our local partners.
Finland: Land of forests, lakes and design
Finland is not only one of the most densely forested countries in Europe in terms of area – around 75% of the country is covered by forest – but also strongly influenced by the wood and paper industry. At the same time, it is a country with a deep respect for nature: ‘everyman's rights’ allow everyone to move freely in nature, pick berries and collect mushrooms – provided they treat them with care.
Finland also has close cultural ties to wood. From classic sauna construction to modern furniture design, this natural material plays a central role. This combination of nature, functionality and aesthetics is reflected not least in Finland's world-renowned design tradition.
Sustainable forestry: more regrowth than harvesting
Around 60 million cubic metres of wood are harvested in Finland every year – at the same time, around 100 million cubic metres grow back in the same period. This imbalance in favour of regrowth is possible because ten new seedlings are planted for every tree felled – both by UPM and by private forest owners.
Many forests are FSC or PEFC certified, but even independently of these standards, forests in Finland are managed very responsibly. The long-term goal is sustainable forest management that balances economics and ecology.
A visit to the forest: harvesting wood with respect for nature
As part of our trip, we also had the opportunity to visit a sustainably managed forest. This gave us an insight into the timber harvesting process and showed us how carefully the trees are selected and felled. It is particularly important to leave the forest floor as undisturbed as possible and to preserve biodiversity – issues that are taken seriously and continuously developed in Finnish forestry.
Plywood production at UPM: every trunk is used in its entirety
At the plants in Savonlinna and Pellos, we were able to follow the entire manufacturing process of our birch plywood – from debarking and peeling the veneers to gluing and pressing the boards.
An important aspect: 100% of our plywood comes from the Savonlinna plant. There, attention is paid to maximising resource utilisation. Every part of the tree is used – whether for high-quality panels, other wood products or energy production.
Adhesive made from wood? Sustainability in material development
UPM also consistently pursues sustainable approaches in materials research. Around 50% of the adhesives used now consist of lignin, a natural component of wood. Lignin is found in all plants, where it provides stability – a promising alternative to purely synthetic binders that significantly reduces the ecological footprint of plywood production.
Challenges and opportunities: packaging and new materials
Despite much progress, there is still room for improvement – for example, in packaging. Currently, plywood panels are still protected with plastic film. UPM is already working on alternatives, but sustainable change is often more complex than it seems at first glance.
During our visit, we also discussed the possibility of using spruce plywood for some furniture series in the future. Spruce has a particularly natural look and feel and differs from birch in terms of texture and colour – an exciting addition that we will explore further together with our designers.
Digitalisation for greater transparency: the new EU Deforestation Regulation
A particularly topical issue is the implementation of the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). UPM is working hard to prepare for the future requirement to provide digital geodata for traceability for every delivery. This will make it possible to transparently track the path of every single piece of wood from the forest to the finished piece of furniture – an important step towards even greater responsibility in the supply chain.
Conclusion: confidence in a sustainable partnership
Our trip to Finland convinced us: the birch plywood we use at Müller Small Living comes from sustainable, responsible forestry and is processed in state-of-the-art facilities in a resource-efficient manner.
Even if not everything is perfect yet – for example, in the area of packaging – our partners at UPM are taking many decisive steps in the right direction. For us, this knowledge not only confirms that we are on the right track, but also gives us a good feeling: about the origin of our materials, the quality of our furniture – and the future of the forests from which they come.
