FSC® certified wood specially for laser cutting
Lasersheets is FSC® certified* and that means we are allowed to sell wood that is certified with the FSC® label on it. These are the birch plywood sheets (thicknesses 3, 4, 6, and 9mm) and MDF sheets (thicknesses 3, 4, 6, and 9mm) available in the online store. Not coincidentally, these are also our best-selling types of wood.
* Lasersheets is a brand of Snijlab. Snijlab is FSC® certified (C117418).
Only products marked as such are FSC certified.
We are proud of our certification because it guarantees you that the wood in question comes from sustainably managed forests. As a supplier of wood products, we feel responsible for our planet and everything that lives on it. By choosing FSC® certified wood, we ensure that people, animals, and nature are better protected and the climate is less burdened.
Not many retailers of sheet material have this certification. It is usually reserved for wholesalers. Companies that are not certified may purchase FSC® certified material, but must then sell it as uncertified, without any FSC® claims (this is called downgrading). Because these companies are not controllable, it can no longer be guaranteed that the material they sell actually comes from sustainably managed forests and meets all other requirements.
We find it important that when we resell material to you, we can provide these guarantees. But what does FSC® mean exactly, what do you buy from us when you choose certified wood, and how do you benefit from it? This article provides answers.
What is FSC® actually?
The abbreviation FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council. It is an international organization that ensures responsible forest management and the maintenance of healthy forests. They do this on a global scale.
FSC® sets rules for sustainable management of forests. Vulnerable areas are also protected, for example, against erosion or extinction.
Not only do the forests suffer from illegal logging. The people who work in them often live in terribly poor conditions. Therefore, the FSC also focuses on the social aspects surrounding logging and forest management.
They always ensure that workers in the FSC forests can work under responsible conditions and receive adequate wages. This way, not only trees and animals are saved, but also the local residents.
These requirements apply both to forestry itself and all companies further down the chain (sawmills, importers, wholesalers, etc.) all the way to the consumer. This is also known as the 'chain of custody'.
The work that the FSC® provides is of great importance because without forests, a stable climate, biodiversity, and thus any form of life on our planet is not possible.
Why is sustainable forest management important?
Deforestation is responsible for about 15% of the greenhouse gases emitted worldwide. A huge amount of carbon is stored in trees and also in the forest soil. This is released when forests are cut down and it goes into the atmosphere. As these forests disappear, this carbon is lost forever and the Earth's climate balance is disturbed.
In FSC®-certified forests, special attention is paid to maintaining the carbon balance. When trees are cut, the new trees ensure that this balance is restored. The carbon that was lost is thus replenished, unlike what happens with deforestation.
Products made from FSC®-certified wood with a long lifespan even have a positive carbon balance. The lost carbon is already replenished before the product needs replacement.
By choosing FSC® wood from Lasersheets and Snijlab, you are choosing a product with a potentially positive carbon balance. This makes our FSC®-certified MDF and Birch Plywood one of the less burdensome raw materials. Use these in your laser cutter and you help contribute to a healthier climate for all of us.
Why should you choose FSC®-certified wood?
You can of course choose to use any other non-certified wood in your workshop, school, or Makerspace. However, there are several benefits you gain by choosing FSC®-certified wood.
-
You are certain that the wood you use comes from a sustainably managed forest.
-
You are certain that the workers who cut and supply your wood work under good conditions and do not live in poverty.
-
You thereby contribute to better climate management for the entire earth.
-
You set a good example and show others that the climate issue and illegal logging are close to your heart.
The FSC® License
Obtaining an FSC® license is quite a challenge. You must meet strict requirements for purchasing, storage, and a safe working environment. Among other things, we have an accurate record of incoming and outgoing FSC® material, and we can guarantee that it is not mixed with uncertified material. We check with every incoming delivery that the certification is in order, and that the supplier also has a valid license. Each year we are tested to ensure we still comply with these rules.
Non-certified companies sometimes make FSC® claims. However, this is prohibited. If you are a seller not certified by FSC® and still sell material, the certification becomes void. After all, you no longer have any guarantee that it is not mixed with other wood, or that the working conditions were adequate.
You sometimes hear that it wouldn't be necessary to be certified because the wood comes from the same forest anyway. This argument doesn't hold either, because the point is that empty claims provide you with no guarantee. Only a certification from an institution that checks whether each party complies with the rules does.
What exactly do you get when you buy FSC® certified wood from Lasersheets?
Of course, our wood is of the high quality needed for good laser cutting. But what do the different FSC® claims actually mean?
In both cases, the wood comes from Controlled Woods. These are controlled by the FSC® and must meet the following requirements:
-
They do not engage in illegal logging.
-
They do not log in areas that are protected and threatened by logging.
-
They do not log genetically modified trees.
-
They do not violate civil rights during logging.
-
They do not cut in forests that are being converted to something else (not forest-related), such as a plantation.
FSC®-mix 70%
If you buy FSC®-mix 70% certified MDF sheets at Lasersheets, it means that at least 70% of the logs come from an FSC® forest. The other 30% of the logs come from a non-FSC® forest. In the sawmill, these two streams come together and the sawn wood is sold as FSC® mix-70%
FSC®-mix credit
Besides FSC®-mix, there is also FSC®-mix credit certified wood. Our birch plywood has this label. This is very similar to mix-70% but comes from sawmills that administer slightly differently. With mix-credit, still 70% of the logs come from an FSC® forest and 30% of the logs from a non-FSC® forest. In the sawmill, this is mixed and then 30% of the wood is sold as non-FSC®, and the remaining 70% as mix-credit.
Which products from Lasersheets are FSC certified?
On the relevant product pages, you will see the FSC® label. You will also see it in the product name.
At the moment, we sell the following products with this certification.
-
Birch Plywood: The sheets with thicknesses 3mm and 6mm are FSC®-mix-credit certified.
-
MDF: The sheets with thicknesses 3, 4, 6, and 9 millimeters are FSC mix-70% certified.
Lasersheets is the supplier for you
We are happy to help you become successful with your laser cutter. Success also means for us that you take care of your environment as best as possible, and that is why we are happy to offer you certified wood. Additionally, you can count on us to:
-
We only offer high-quality materials that will make you happy
- All materials can be laser cut (and of course also sawn, CNC milled, etc)
- materials can be ordered directly to size for your laser
-
That you can also order in small quantities, convenient for the hobbyist and maker.
Do you have a laser cutter and need quality materials for your school, workshop, fab lab, makerspace, or personal workshop? Then visit our extensive webshop or contact us. With no less than 12 years of experience as a laser cutting service (in our sister company Snijlab), we are ready for you with real substantive knowledge, advice, and guidance.
