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From waste to resource: how Unilin recycles MDF and laminate floors
October 6, 2025 • 2 minutes reading
What happens to your old laminate floor? At Unilin, the answer is clear: collect and recycle. Through the Recover programme, we collect old floors and a technological world first allows us to recycle them into new MDF and HDF panels, the core of laminate flooring. “For years, recycling the panels seemed impossible,” says Geert Coudenys, R&D Director at Unilin Panels.
In a nutshell
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The Uniclic system increases the recyclability of laminate flooring.
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With its patented Osiris technology, Unilin was the world’s first manufacturer torecycle MDF and HDF panels.
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Through its Recover collection programme, Unilin turns waste streams back into raw materials.
Our laminate flooring uses the Uniclic system, making it easy to install. The click system also ensures a stable, creak-free floor. Even when a floor reaches the end of its useful life, the Uniclic system offers significant advantages. “Because no glue is used, removing a floor is much simpler,” explains Geert Coudenys. “Also, no glue residue is left behind, which greatly improves recyclability.”
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World First
Recyclability is at the heart of Unilin’s sustainability approach. Thanks to a technology developed in-house, Unilin is the first player in the world to be able to recycle MDF and HDF fibreboards. “These boards form the core of our laminate floors,” says Coudenys. “They are made of bonded wood fibres compressed under pressure. For the longest time, it was considered impossible to break the adhesive bonds in an industrially feasible way without damaging the fibres. After years of research we finally managed to crack the code.” Unilin’s new, globally patented Osiris technology has solved this problem. Under high pressure, steam is used to separate the wood fibres without damaging them. These fibres can now be reused in the production of new fibreboards.”
A world first with a huge impact. “The new technique multiplies the lifespan of wood fibres”, Coudenys explains. This means new trees have the opportunity to grow and capture CO₂ while we become less dependent on new raw materials. The technology is highly effective, both on an ecological and economic level.”
Back to the factory
In our mission to become circular, Unilin looks beyond its own production. To make recycling truly possible, old products also need to find their way back to the factory. That is why Unilin launched its Recoverprogramme. “No structured collection system exists for materials such as MDF,” says Coudenys.
“That is why we have taken the lead ourselves. We map out waste streams and help organise their collection. This ranges from offcuts from sawmills and pruned wood from sustainable forest management to laminate floors that have already had a life.” Close collaboration with partners and clients makes it possible to organise collection on a larger scale. “This way, we avoid burning or landfilling waste while reducing our need for raw materials and that’s another win-win,” emphasises Coudenys.
Discover the full Long Live Laminate story
*This project was co-funded by the French government under the France 2030 programme,
managed by ADEME, with the financial support of La Région Grand Est.
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