Plant fibres for the European Union: Building a sustainable and resilient bioeconomy

Plant fibres represent a renewable and versatile alternative to conventional materials like glass fibre, polyester, wood pulp and mineral wool across key sectors, including automotive, construction, textiles, and packaging. When cultivated and processed responsibly, they can also make a meaningful contribution to the EU’s climate neutrality and biodiversity objectives. Yet, the broader adoption of plant fibres remains limited by challenges such as inconsistent supply, insufficient processing infrastructure, variable product performance, and strong price competition with conventional materials.

This working paper presents an overview of the current plant fibre production landscape in the EU, outlining production volumes, provenance, environmental benefits, and key industrial applications. It examines the potential to scale plant fibre use within the bioeconomy through four main dimensions: the economic viability of fibre supply, comparative price assessment, product performance and impact data, and traceability systems.

By integrating insights on environmental impacts with economic and market analysis, the paper provides practical guidance for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers. Its findings and recommendations aim to support the development of more resilient, competitive, and sustainable plant fibre value chains that advance the EU’s bioeconomy transition.

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This works is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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