Flügger wood stain now carries Nordic Ecolabel

According to statistics from Ecolabelling Denmark, which is responsible for the official Nordic Ecolabel – or Nordic Swan Ecolabel – there are now more than 4,000 Nordic Ecolabelled buildings in the Nordic countries, with more than 7,000 new eco-labelled buildings in the pipeline. The demand for Nordic Ecolabelled building products has resulted in Flügger developing its Wood Tex wood stain series so that it complies with the criteria for the Nordic Ecolabel.

“In recent years, our product development team has constantly focused on improving the environmental profile of our products. We’re therefore delighted that we can now satisfy those customers who have been asking for Nordic Ecolabelled products for the building sector, and who are thereby helping to ensure that new buildings are more eco-friendly. We are doing this now with the Wood Tex series, where all the products have been approved for Nordic Ecolabelled buildings,” says Lene Heitmann, Group Product Manager at Flügger.

Customers driving product development

House painters and decorators and consumers throughout the Nordic region have increasingly high expectations that wood stains are both eco-friendly and durable. Therefore, Flügger’s product development activities are focused on these customer wishes. Customers are also helping to test the products, and provide feedback for the ongoing development work.

For our customers, it has been particularly important that the wood stain dries quickly so they can finish painting wooden houses and decking, for example, as quickly as possible. Flügger has therefore had considerable focus on this particular aspect in developing the new Wood Tex series.

“We’re constantly aware of the need to balance product properties with environmental concerns. Our wood stain needs to preserve woodwork for generations, yet at the same time it’s crucial that the product’s environmental impact is kept to an absolute minimum. Wood Tex shows that these two things can go hand in hand,” says Lene Heitmann.

Flügger has, among other things, worked with a new fungicide technology in the Wood Tex series that minimises its environmental impact while providing a better and longer-lasting effect against mould and algae growth on the surface of the treatment. Lene Heitmann explains:

“The fungicide is encapsulated and only released when it is moist, which is when it’s necessary to protect the surface against mould and algae growth. When it’s dry, this protection is not required, and the fungicide stays encapsulated in the paint film. This way, we achieve more efficient and longer-lasting protection against mould and algae growth, which benefits both the woodwork and the environment.”

Nordic Ecolabel and Nordic Ecolabelled buildings are the way ahead

One of the characteristics of Nordic Ecolabelled buildings are the strict requirements regarding the level of harmful substances in both the building materials and chemical products.

“All our products in the Wood Tex series are registered in the Nordic Product Building Material database. This means that the products can be used for the several thousand new Nordic Ecolabelled buildings which are helping to strengthen the circular economy in the building industry,” says Lene Heitmann.

Two products in the Wood Tex series now carry the Nordic Ecolabel. The first is the recently launched Flügger 07 Wood Tex Mat, an opaque wood stain which is available in black, red and white. The second Nordic Ecolabelled outdoor product is Flügger 05 Wood Tex Outdoor Acrylic Paint, a quick-drying and robust wood stain which is now available in a range of shades that carry the Nordic Ecolabel. 

According to Lene Heitmann, the next step is further Wood Tex products being Nordic Ecolabelled in 2019, while Flügger is generally working to increase the choice of Nordic Ecolabelled products for indoor and outdoor use in all its product categories where this is possible.