Four product groups of wood products company Koskisen’s chipboard products have been awarded the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and at the same time they are listed on the Nordic Swan Ecolabel website.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is recognized by 95% of Nordics, and in just over 30 years, it has established its place as one of the most significant environmental labels in the Nordic region.
Riitta Ahokas, RDI manager at Koskisen, says that the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is particularly important because it is issued by a third party. The criteria for the Nordic Swan Ecolabel are also very strict, one cannot get on the list on easy grounds.
“Of course, it may be that the product meets the criteria even without the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, but in that case a separate report must be made on the product each time. Now we have the Nordic Swan Ecolabel for these chipboard products and it makes it easier for our customers to choose”, says Ahokas.
“Furthermore, the label issued by a third party guarantees that we are not greenwashing.”
Currently, four products from the chipboard factory’s selection have the Nordic Swan Ecolabel:
– KoskiMel E0.5 (8-36 mm)
– KoskiPan E0.5 (6-38 mm)
– ZeroPan (3.2-36 mm)
– ZeroMel (8-36 mm)
The regulations affecting the Nordic Swan Ecolabel will tighten during 2025, when the label must be applied for again. However, Ahokas says that the re-evaluation of the criteria is not something to be worried about at Koskisen. “It is good that the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is not static, and its conditions are reviewed from time to time. We and our products are doing very well.”
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is important both in Finland and in other Nordic countries
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is very familiar from many connections, it can be found for example both in everyday household items, such detergents, as well as during a stay at a hotel. According to Ahokas, it is interesting to see how timber products stand out among services and other products.
“We hope that the Nordic Swan Ecolabel will be especially useful, when our customers are planning their projects. For example, it is easy to go to the Nordic Swan Ecolabel website to check the status of the our products already in the early stages of the project, when there are, for example, the plans of a Nordic Swan Ecolabeled school on the drawing board,” advises Ahokas.
The recognition granted to chipboards is also relevant for Koskisen in the export trade.
What is the Nordic Swan Ecolabel?
Established by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1989, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official environmental label of the Nordic countries, which is used in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is a type 1 environmental label regulated by the ISO 14024 standard. The label is voluntary, sets a wide range of environmental requirements for the product or service and is based on life cycle thinking. The requirements of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel must become stricter at regular intervals, the requirements must be developed transparently, the costs must be known, and the label must maintain a third-party certification system that is independent of the industry.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is awarded to products and services that meet ambitious and strict environmental requirements. The label makes it easier for consumers, companies, and organizations to participate in the green transition.
