The SAUNA project is developing a new, sustainable way of making pulp from wood residues, with the ambitious goal of achieving zero pollution and zero waste. At its core, the project combines innovative chemical processes with smart digital tools to transform leftover materials from sawmills and woodworking into valuable products.

The process begins by extracting sugars (hemicelluloses) from wood using hot water, then breaking down the fibers with a mix of soda and oxygen to produce pulp while also releasing lignin, a versatile biopolymer. Advanced membrane technologies act like ultra‑fine sieves to recover these compounds with high efficiency, while wet air oxidation cleans up any remaining organics, recycles chemicals, and purifies water for reuse. Together, these steps create a closed‑loop system where nearly everything is recovered and reused.

To ensure the concept works in practice, SAUNA tests the pulp, lignin, and hemicellulose for real‑world applications such as packaging, fiberboard, adhesives, and resins. Digital sensors and a “virtual plant” allow the process to be monitored and optimized in real time, reducing emissions and improving efficiency.

Finally, economic and environmental analyses check whether the system is both profitable and truly sustainable, while communication efforts share the results with industry and the public. In simple terms, SAUNA is like designing a high‑tech kitchen that turns wood leftovers into a menu of useful products, while making sure nothing goes to waste and the cooking process is clean, efficient, and future‑proof.