Throughout my 37-year career in the cellulosic fiber industry, one narrative has persisted in sustainability circles: “Cellulose = deforestation.” Meanwhile, the harmful aspects of polyester are largely ignored.
Here’s the reality most people don’t see:
• Over 90% of dissolving pulp for MMCFs comes from certified, responsibly managed forests.
• These forests are regrown, stewarded, and independently audited — they are carbon sinks, not carbon sources.
• The cellulose industry is one of the few that requires long-term replanting and must comply with an ever-expanding landscape of regulations each year.
Meanwhile:
• Polyester fibers are fossil-derived, non-biodegradable, and responsible for 35% of ocean microplastic pollution.
• The polyester industry remains almost entirely unregulated, largely untraceable, and rarely scrutinized by NGOs.
So why does cellulose face intense scrutiny while polyester gets a free pass?
Because cutting trees feels emotional. Extracting fossil fuels feels distant. Regulation follows emotion, not science.
Close: If we want real sustainability progress, we must stop punishing renewable materials and start addressing the fossil-based ones.
This is why I’m launching Expand the Forest — a positive, science-driven effort to champion responsible cellulose and the managed forests that support it.
It’s time to rebalance the conversation.
