13 juni 2025

Working together for a Circular Future: The Biobased Kitchen

Working together for a circular future: the biobased kitchen

When building sustainable, biobased homes, interiors, such as carpentry, kitchens and furniture, are playing an increasingly important role. In a pilot project, a fully biobased kitchen was developed through a collaboration between Wonion, Samen Biobased Bouwen, SAM Panels and Bribus. The pilot project uses residual materials and the expertise of various parties and thus takes an important step towards a circular future. The ambition is great: a circular future in which biobased products from the region are also used regionally.

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From idea to collaboration

‍This initiative originated within Samen Biobased Bouwen, a regional collaboration that focuses on the further development of biobased construction. During construction meetings about biobased materials and future-proof homes, the seed was planted to use biobased materials in kitchens, with the central question: how can fossil resources be completely avoided? This led to a unique collaboration where knowledge and sustainable product development came together.
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From manure to jeans: the materials behind the kitchen

‍The pilot kitchen is a good example of how different residual flows can be combined. Dave Lageschaar, Innovation and Product Development Manager at Bribus, explains: “At Bribus, we are constantly working on sustainable solutions. This project offered the opportunity to go one step further and investigate how even more sustainable, biobased materials can be incorporated into production. Together with SAM Panels, we investigated which raw materials are suitable for sheet material.” This process led to the choice of a number of special materials.

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John Smits, managing director at SAM Panels, explains: “The panels are made from local waste streams, such as roadside grass, hemp dust and organic raw materials such as manure. For this pilot kitchen, cow dung was chosen for the back walls and jeans for the cabinet fronts. The jeans fronts are made of jeans fabric that is released when old jeans are fibreised. Fiberization is the process of pulling textile materials apart into fibers, which can then be used for new applications. The choice for jeans was made for aesthetics: the blue-grey fronts give the kitchen a natural look.” Cow dung is an important residual stream in the Achterhoek, which made it a logical and sustainable choice for the back walls of the kitchen.
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An eye for people and the environment

‍John emphasizes: “The best part is that the panels are 100% biobased, fully recyclable and free of volatile substances.” Volatile substances such as formaldehyde can be harmful to people and the environment by contributing to air pollution and health problems. By avoiding these substances, the panels are healthier and more durable to use than traditionally glued panels.

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By using these materials, it is not only about sustainability, but also about creating a healthier living environment. Arne Eindhoven, chain director at Samen Biobased Bouwen, emphasizes: “An important part of this collaboration is avoiding harmful substances. When making these plates, the aim was to completely replace fossil raw materials with circular materials.”

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‍“The best part is that the panels are 100% biobased, fully recyclable and free of volatile substances. ” - John Smits, managing director at SAM Panels
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Innovative materials, same strong quality

‍The kitchen cabinet body is made of chipboard, a material chosen for its specific technical properties, such as high load-bearing capacity, dimensional stability and resistance to deformation. These properties are essential to make the kitchen strong and durable. Dave continues: “Particle board provides the stability needed to keep the kitchen both sustainable and functional.” The plates used for this kitchen have been tested and meet the same technical requirements as traditional panels.

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Dave adds: “In addition, the fronts have been made water-resistant by adding vegetable fats, which is a first in this project.” The sheet material also scores well on properties such as impact resistance and wear and scratch resistance. Gerrolt Ooijman, managing director at Wonion, adds: “The demand for sustainable materials is growing rapidly. That is why it is important that with this pilot we gain insight into whether the quality is maintained even when used intensively. If that turns out to be the case, that offers prospects for a wider application in the future.”
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Sustainable, local and forward-looking

‍The biobased kitchen is perfectly in line with the ambition of this collaboration: to further stimulate sustainable construction. An important starting point here is the short chain: by producing materials locally, transport is minimized and the CO₂ footprint is reduced.

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‍“The aim is a future where kitchens do not have to be completely replaced, but can be modified sustainably and modularly.” - Gerrolt Ooijman, CEO at Wonion

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From pilot to sustainable standard

‍Although the pilot is a success, the parties involved emphasize that this is only the beginning. “There will be further experiments to further develop biobased kitchens. Affordability and quality remain important here. Large-scale production is essential to make this concept accessible to a wider audience,” says Dave.

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The production with the SAM panels presented new challenges. The panels are harder and thinner than standard chipboard, so they require adjustments in the production process. Dave explains: “The machines are set to high volumes, and this type of panel requires specific adjustments to the machines and the production line. That makes it an educational process.”
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A kitchen for life

‍The project is in line with the larger goal: a fully biobased home, from foundation to interior. In addition to kitchens, SAM panels are already being used in carpentry, doors and insulation. Gerrolt emphasizes: “The aim is a future where kitchens do not have to be completely replaced, but can be adapted sustainably and modularly. This kitchen is not only durable but also aesthetically pleasing to residents. That's how people go from a kitchen for a while to a kitchen for life.”

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The collaboration between Wonion, SAM Panels, Samen Biobased Bouwen and Bribus shows how regions can contribute to a more sustainable future through joint efforts. Gerrolt adds: “This pilot kitchen is a great example of what is possible when specialist parties join forces with a shared goal.”

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