German Sustainability-Award Design for "OrganiQ

Rockenhausen receives prestigious award for "OrganiQ

It is the preliminary culmination of the efforts of Holzwerk Rockenhausen for the sustainable production of furniture. On the evening of December 1, 2022, Managing Director Martin Rau accepted the German Sustainability Award Design for "OrganiQ" in Düsseldorf in the presence of numerous guests, including Cradle to Cradle founder Prof. Michael Braungart. The company, which is part of the Kesseböhmer Group, produces customized interior organization elements for drawers and pull-outs from the material developed jointly with the Institute for Composite Materials at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern.

With "OrganiQ," Holzwerk Rockenhausen created a forward-thinking composite material that is an attractively priced alternative to solid wood without compromising on aesthetics. It offers excellent mechanical properties, can be shaped three-dimensionally, is very light, resistant and food-safe. The latter has already been confirmed by the DEKRA laboratory for environmental and product analysis.

"OrganiQ" consists to 68 percent of the rapidly renewable plant fibers hemp and kenaf and to 25 percent of a sustainable water-based binder. In this way, the innovative material is not only free of formaldehyde and phenol, but also only contains seven percent PET, which is obtained entirely from recycled material. Its fibers do not have a determined direction, so there is little waste during processing.

Well-known kitchen manufacturers throughout Europe are already using the products from "OrganiQ". But the potential is far from being exhausted, says Martin Rau: "The three-dimensional formability in particular offers a wide range of innovative uses."

By winning the German Sustainability Award Design, Holzwerk Rockenhausen cements its top position in the narrow field of Germany's most sustainable companies and design creators. Since 2020, it has been awarded prizes for innovative products, systems and services that offer sustainable alternatives and thus contribute to necessary transformation.

Around 500 guests and 50 journalists came to Düsseldorf for the awards ceremony. Science journalist Stefan Schulze-Hausmann hosted the ceremony; TV presenter Ranga Yogeshwar, futurologist Matthias Horx and others presented the awards.