Rethinking materials for a renewable future
Everyday materials are shifting from non-renewable, extractive systems to renewable, circular ones that reduce reliance on finite resources while maintaining performance at scale. Stora Enso is part of this transition.
The materials behind everyday life are changing
For decades, the materials that shaped modern life have come from the same place – fossil resources.
They made it possible to scale industries, protect products, and build global systems. But they also came with a cost: finite resources, rising emissions, and growing pressure on the planet.
Today, that foundation is shifting.
At Stora Enso, we are part of that shift, replacing fossil-based materials with renewable alternatives designed to perform, scale, and fit into circular systems. It is not about changing one material for another. It is about using the right material where it matters and rethinking how materials are sourced, used, and reused.
We need materials that work with the world, not against it. For this, we offer material expertise:
- Stora Enso is a global leader in renewable materials, reducing fossil dependence
- More than 90% of our raw material inputs are biological, primarily wood fiber
- Our solutions are designed for high performance and circularity across packaging, biomaterials, and construction
- 94% of products are technically recyclable
- Target: 90% material circularity in own operations by 2030, compared with 79% in 2025
- Renewable materials are key to reducing reliance on finite resources
Moving beyond fossil-based materials
Fossil-based materials have shaped the world we know. They’ve made products strong, scalable, and reliable but they were built for an extractive system, where the resources are eventually exhausted.
Now, that story is changing.
Renewable materials offer a different path. Like their non-renewable alternatives, renewable materials are often designed for recycling and recovery, but with one major difference: they come from sources that can grow back.
This is the shift, from extractive to renewable.
And it only works if performance comes first.
Packaging still needs to protect food. Materials still need to withstand transport, meet regulations, and perform at scale.
But changing materials isn’t enough. The whole system needs to evolve. From linear to circular.
From how raw materials are sourced to how products are designed, to how they are collected and recycled. Every step is connected. Circularity only works when everything works together.
And that’s exactly where the world is heading.
Demand is growing. Expectations are rising. Industries are rethinking what materials they use, where, and why.
Because today, value isn’t just about performance or cost.
It’s about where a material comes from, how long it stays in use, and what happens next.
That’s where renewable materials can make the difference.
