First-ever 100 per cent waterproof wood composite for bathrooms 

Aspen woodchips are used in the company’s strong yet lightweight products that include sinks and baths

Spotted: Used for millennia, ceramic products are a traditional and beautiful addition to many buildings and are particularly common in bathing spaces. Unfortunately, when researchers tracked the carbon emissions of the material, including extraction and disposal, they found that every year in the European Union, the manufacture of ceramics emits 19 megatonnes of carbon dioxide.

Following the Scandinavian approach of “form follows function,” Finnish interior design company Woodio found a way to transform a common waste product into an essential piece of modern-day living – bathroom furniture and accessories. Using aspen wood chips and other waste streams from forestry, the company makes wood composite products that have the look, feel, and strength of ceramics without the carbon footprint.

Washbasins, bathtubs, tiles, and more made with the Woodio material are completely waterproof and have a carbon footprint that is up to 80 per cent less than that of a ceramic version. Woodio products are much lighter than traditional bathroom ceramics and use very little water in production, making them even healthier for the environment. They also come with a five-year guarantee.  

As well as 17 different washbasin models, the company also offers a bathtub and a range of accessories. The latest Woodio product is a wooden toilet seat, and all items come in a variety of natural colours. The company recently secured €16.3 million to use for international expansion as well as further development of its Finnish manufacturing capacity.  

From fish scales to upcycled production waste, Springwise’s archive is rich with examples of innovations sustainably replacing traditional ceramic materials.

Written By: Keely Khoury