Controlled Wood refers to material that may be mixed with FSC-certified material during the production of FSC Mix products. This system allows manufacturers to manage fluctuations in the supply of FSC-certified inputs while maintaining demand for responsibly sourced wood.

Only materials from FSC-acceptable sources can be classified as Controlled Wood. FSC strictly prohibits the use of material from the following five categories of unacceptable sources:

• Illegally harvested wood
• Wood harvested in violation of traditional or civil rights
• Wood harvested in forests where High Conservation Values are threatened by management activities
• Wood harvested in forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use
• Wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted

Controlled Wood can be verified in two ways:

• By companies using a due diligence system in accordance with FSC-STD-40-005
• Through Controlled Wood Forest Management certification, under FSC-STD-30-010

These standards are closely linked to both FSC’s Forest Management and Chain of Custody certification systems, ensuring traceability and accountability throughout the supply chain.