FSC ® certified wood especially for laser cutting
Lasersheets holds FSC® certification, allowing us to offer certified wood adorned with the FSC® label. This certification applies to birch plywood sheets with thicknesses of 3, 4, 6, and 9mm, as well as MDF sheets with thicknesses of 3, 4, 6, and 9mm, all available in our online store. Notably, these certified wood varieties are among our best-selling products. The attainment of FSC® certification involves adhering to rigorous standards, and we undergo regular assessments to ensure ongoing compliance with these requirements.
We are proud of our certification, because it guarantees 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 burdened less.
FSC® certification is not commonly found among sheet metal retailers, often being exclusive to wholesalers. Non-certified companies have the option to purchase FSC® certified material, but they are obligated to sell it as uncertified without making any FSC® claims—a practice known as downgrading. Since these non-certified entities lack oversight, there is no assurance that the materials they sell genuinely originate from sustainably managed forests or fulfill other requisite criteria.
We believe it is important that if we resell material to you, we can offer these guarantees. But what exactly does FSC® mean, what do you buy from us if you choose certified wood and how do you benefit from it? This article answers.
What exactly is FSC®?
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.
It is not only the forests that suffer from illegal logging. The people who work there also often live in terribly poor conditions. That is why 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 that they receive sufficient wages. In this way, not only trees and animals are saved, but also local residents.
These requirements apply to forestry itself, as well as to all companies further down the chain (sawmills, importers, wholesalers, etc.) all the way to the consumer. This is also called the 'chain of custody'.
The work that the FSC® does is of great importance, because without forests a stable climate, biodiversity and therefore any kind of life on our planet is not possible.
Why is sustainable forest management important?
Deforestation is responsible for approximately 15% of greenhouse gases emitted worldwide. An enormous amount of carbon is stored in trees and also in the forest floor. This is released when forests are cut down and enters the atmosphere. As these forests disappear, this carbon is lost forever and the Earth's climate balance is disrupted.
In FSC®-certified forests, special attention is paid to maintaining the carbon balance. When trees are cut down, the new trees ensure that this balance is restored. The carbon that has been lost is therefore replenished - unlike what is the case 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 to be replaced.
By choosing FSC® wood from Lasersheets and Snijlab, you choose a product with a potentially positive carbon balance. This makes our FSC®-certified MDF and Birch Plywood one of the less stressful raw materials. Use this in your laser cutter and you help create a healthier environment 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 a number of advantages that you will benefit from if you choose FSC®-certified wood.
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You can be sure that the wood you use comes from a sustainably managed forest.
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You can be sure that the workers who cut and deliver your wood work under good conditions and do not live in poverty.
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You thereby contribute to better climate management for the entire planet.
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You lead by example and show others that the climate issue and illegal logging are close to your heart.
The FSC® license
Acquiring an FSC® license requires considerable effort. Meeting stringent criteria for purchasing, storage, and ensuring a safe working environment is essential. We maintain thorough records of incoming and outgoing FSC® material, ensuring it remains separate from uncertified material. Each incoming delivery undergoes checks to verify the certification's validity and confirm the supplier's active license. Annual tests are conducted to assess ongoing compliance with these regulations.
Non-certified companies also sometimes make FSC® claims. However, this is prohibited. If you, as a seller, are not certified by FSC® and still sell material, the certification will lapse. After all, you no longer have any guarantee that it has not been mixed with other wood, for example, or that the working conditions were in order.
You sometimes hear that it is not necessary to be certified because the wood comes from the same forest. This argument is also invalid, because the point is that empty claims do not offer you any guarantees. Only certification from an agency that checks whether each party complies with the rules does this.
What exactly do you get when you buy FSC® certified wood from Lasersheets?
In any case, our wood is of the high quality required to be able to laser cut it properly. But what exactly do the different FSC® claims mean?
In both cases the wood comes from Controlled Woods. These are therefore checked by the FSC ® and must meet the following requirements:
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They do not engage in illegal logging.
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They do not cut in areas that are protected and threatened by logging.
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They don't cut down genetically modified trees.
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They do not violate any civil rights while logging.
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They do not cut down forests that are converted to something else (non-forest related), such as a plantation.
FSC ® mix 70%
If you buy FSC ® mix 70% certified MDF sheets from Lasersheets, this means that at least 70% of the trunks come from an FSC ® forest. The other 30% of the trunks come from a non- FSC® forest. These two flows come together in the sawmill and the sawn wood is sold as FSC ® mix-70%
FSC® mix credit
In addition to 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, 70% of the trunks still come from an FSC® forest and 30% of the trunks from a non-FSC® forest. This is mixed at the sawmill and then 30% of the wood is sold as non-FSC®, and the remaining 70% as mix credit.
Which Lasersheets products are FSC certified?
You will see the FSC® label on the relevant product pages. You also see it in the product name.
We currently sell the following products with this certification.
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Birch Plywood : The sheets with thicknesses 3mm and 6mm are FSC® mix-credit certified.
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MDF : The boards 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. For us, success also means taking care of your environment as best as possible, which is why we are happy to be able to offer you certified wood. In addition, you can count on us that:
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We only offer high quality materials that 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
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That you can also order in small quantities, useful for the hobbyist and maker.
Do you have a laser cutter and do you need quality materials for your school, workshop, fab lab, makerspace or own 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 to provide you with real substantive knowledge, advice and advice.
