Carpentier, the Tielt-based company specialising in sustainable timber solutions for cladding, decking, ceiling and wall panelling, gates, timber outbuildings and timber frame construction, has achieved the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze certification under Version 4.0 for its 'cladding and decking' product range. The certification marks the culmination of an intensive four-year journey and confirms that Carpentier designs and manufactures its HOTwood QuickClip® products in ash, pine and Clear Pine with a strong commitment to circularity, sustainability and innovation.
"This certification is a milestone for us, but also a starting point. Over the past four years, we have made substantial investments in knowledge, processes and partnerships to make our products circular. We want to give our customers — architects, contractors and project owners — complete peace of mind, not only by offering innovative timber solutions, but also by giving them the assurance that they are choosing a responsible, future-proof product" – Stefan Vander Stichele, Zaakvoerder Carpentier
What is Cradle to Cradle Certified®?
Cradle to Cradle Certified® is an internationally recognised certification standard developed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII). It assesses products across five categories: material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, responsible water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. The Cradle to Cradle Certified® framework provides a science-based approach to designing products for a circular economy in which the concept of waste is eliminated.
What has Carpentier achieved in practice?
In collaboration with Sustenuto and ARCHE Consulting, an accredited Material Health Assessment Body, Carpentier conducted a thorough analysis of its products, production processes – including the wood colouration process at partner Timfin – and entire supply chain. This analysis resulted in concrete improvements across five areas:
- Material health: inventory and assessment of all chemical substances present in the products
- Product circularity: design focused on reuse, disassembly and closed material loops
- Clean air and climate protection: mapping energy consumption and CO₂ emissions throughout the supply chain
- Responsible water and soil stewardship: detailed analysis of water consumption and impacts on aquatic ecosystems
- Social fairness: identification of human rights risks throughout the supply chain
Concrete benefits for architects, contractors and project owners
Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze offers tangible benefits when selecting building materials:
- Verified sustainability: science-based and independently certified
- Material passport: full traceability of materials and chemical substances
- Circular construction: products designed for reuse at the end of their service life
- Support for BREEAM/LEED building certifications
- Local production in Tielt: reduced transport impact and shorter supply lines
