A material with attitude: wood fibre as the basis for sustainable acoustics

In this interview, Rudi Raschke, Corporate Communications Manager at Gutex, talks about the special properties of wood fibre, regional value creation in the Black Forest, and how a classic building product could become a defining element of sustainable interior design.

Wood fibre works because it is made from the right material: it breathes, stores heat, regulates moisture and feels like a natural ally in construction. Unlike purely synthetic insulation materials, this creates a feeling that people instinctively find pleasant. And because the raw material comes directly from our forests, the entire value creation process remains traceable and sustainable. 

The way our company once used hydropower to produce paper and then moved on to wood fibre certainly plays a role. Gutex insulation is the result of decades of continuous improvement and inventiveness. At the same time, it works with the material that characterises our region. And, of course, we also want to contribute to nature's natural cycles – even when our insulation has already completed its long life cycle.

We source two types of predominantly regional wood: wood chips on the one hand, and round timber on the other, i.e. cut logs that are stripped of their bark and chopped up. They are dried via a complex process and then processed into soft or solid insulation boards or loose blow-in wool.

In the area of façades and roofs for new buildings or renovations, this has not played a major role for us so far. Among our partners, Sedus is still very much in a league of its own with this idea for interiors.

Wood fibre has three properties that other insulation materials do not combine: high heat storage capacity, diffusion-open constructions and natural moisture buffering. This stabilises the indoor climate and protects against structural damage.

First of all, perhaps simply through the reassuring feeling that this is a natural product made of wood and nothing synthetic. The rest is certainly also due to the Sedus design and the high-quality fabrics.

The collaboration between Sedus and Gutex impressively demonstrates the potential that arises when material expertise, design and shared values come together. se:hive is therefore not just an acoustic solution, but an expression of a holistic understanding of sustainability, atmosphere and responsibility.

If you would like to find out more about the design idea behind se:hive and the collaboration with Gutex, Sedus LOOKBOOK N° 03 features an in-depth interview with designer Konstantin Thomas, who explains the process, from the choice of materials to the modular system concept.