Kantar’s global sustainability research shows something surprising:Consumers do care about sustainability — but they rarely act on it.Not because they don’t believe in it, but because brands frame sustainability as avoiding a negative, instead of creating a positive.
And that matters more than most companies realize.
What Kantar’s research reveals
Across markets, Kantar finds that consumers consistently fall into the value–action gap: they express strong sustainability values, but don’t convert them into purchase behavior.
Why?
Because sustainability is usually communicated as:
- “Avoid deforestation.”
- “Reduce harm.”
- “Cut emissions.”
- “Stop waste.”
This triggers guilt, fear, and defensiveness — not pride, confidence, or desire.
Jonathan Hall from Kantar calls this out clearly:Consumers act when sustainability is easy, positive, and personally rewarding, not when it feels like a moral test.
This is the behavioral unlock.
Why this matters for wood‑based cellulosic fibers
The cellulose industry often communicates sustainability defensively:
- “We don’t cause deforestation.”
- “We comply with regulations.”
- “We meet certification requirements.”
It’s like a hotel advertising “no hidden fees.” Technically reassuring — but it still puts the brand in a negative frame.
Consumers don’t want to buy products that are “not harmful.”They want to buy products that make them feel good, smart, comfortable, and aligned with their values.
This is where the cellulose industry has a massive opportunity.
The positive story consumers actually want
Wood‑based cellulosic fibers — viscose, lyocell, modal — have a compelling, positive narrative:
- Made from renewable forests, not fossil fuels
- Grown on regenerating land, not virgin ecosystems
- Produced in closed‑loop systems (lyocell)
- Biodegradable — no microplastics
- Comfortable, breathable, and naturally soft
- Part of a circular bioeconomy
This is not “avoiding harm.”This is creating good.
It’s regenerative.It’s future‑proof.
It’s aligned with consumer values and consumer experience.
The strategic shift the industry needs
To close the value–action gap, cellulose companies must shift from:
Negative framing
“Don’t worry, we’re not destroying forests.”
to
Positive framing
“Our forests regrow.Our land is restored.
Our materials come from nature, not oil.
Our fibers feel better on your skin.
Our products fit your values and your lifestyle.”
This is how you make consumers feel proud of their purchase — not relieved.
And proud consumers are willing to pay for sustainability.
Key Takeaway
If the cellulose industry wants consumers to pay for the real costs of sustainable forestry, certification, and compliance, it must stop defending itself against outdated narratives — and start telling the powerful, positive story of what it creates.
Not “less bad.”More good.
This is the mission of Expand the Forest:To help the industry shift from guilt‑based sustainability to value‑based sustainability — and unlock the consumer willingness to pay that makes the entire system viable.
