Misfit wood from Finnish forests: interview insights on opportunities and challenges of repurposing non-standard wood for long-lived products

Abstract This study examines the potential of using misfit wood—i.e., stem wood that does not meet conventional sawlog standards—in long-lived products in the context of Finland, mainly focusing on the wood construction products industry. The impetus for the use of misfit wood is to improve forest biodiversity and resource-efficiency by repurposing wood material from short-term use to reach its full potential in value creation. However, the use of misfit wood should be done within the scope of sustainable forest management, to ensure that the proposed solution does not contribute to the problem. The research involves reviewing roundwood statistics and conducting interviews with forestry experts, wood products industry professionals, and environmental scientists from Finland. These interviews indicated the presence of some opportunities and challenges associated with repurposing non-standard wooden applications in architecture and construction. While most interviewees were optimistic about innovative uses for misfit wood and highlighted new business opportunities for small entrepreneurs alongside the major material streams within the industry, they also pointed out economic and structural challenges. These include issues related to profitability given the small volumes, obtaining product approvals, and standardizing the materials. The study stresses the importance of ensuring that using misfit wood supports forest biodiversity without depleting resources. It also highlighted a lack of precise information on the specific quantities of wood meeting different characteristic requirements, such as sawlogs, even though data on the annual harvested wood volume and their distribution across various industries is available.