Recycled Wood Material Development

A new material created by converting engineering wood, long considered difficult to recycle, into Wood Particles and blending it with biodegradable resin, suitable for 3D printing and extrusion molding.

Issue

Engineered wood products such as CLT and glued laminated timber, which have become widespread in urban timber construction, contain adhesives that make them difficult to recycle. After demolition, they are typically discarded or converted to fuel.

Approach

XENCE developed a proprietary process to convert waste engineering wood into Wood Particles and blend them with biodegradable resin, creating a new material. By combining digital fabrication methods such as 3D printing and extrusion molding, this approach establishes a closed-loop resource circulation model within urban environments that enables disassembly, decomposition, and remolding.

Result

Beyond simply recycling construction materials, this work proposes a sustainable ecosystem that reframes the city itself as a source of resources, a forest of the future.

Partners

Takenaka Corporation, Kurashiki Spinning Co., Ltd.