Wood-based textile innovations in the Finnish media: A critical discourse analysis

Venla Wallius and Annukka Näyhä

Forest Policy and Economics, 2025, vol. 174, issue C

Abstract: The transition to sustainable circular bioeconomy calls for new innovations to replace environmentally harmful fossil-based products and materials. This is especially true for the fast-growing textile industry. Novel wood-based textile innovations could play a key role in the sustainability transition of the sector; however, they need to be diffused effectively throughout society in order to achieve a meaningful market share. By sharing information and shaping the attitudes of potential consumers and other stakeholders, traditional media is an important contributor in this diffusion. In this study, 132 Finnish newspaper articles focusing on wood-based textiles, published in four widely distributed national newspapers from 2019 to 2021, were analyzed utilizing critical discourse analysis. The results show that the discourses around wood-based textile innovations are, in general, positive, and their potential is recognized by many actors. The environmental and economic benefits of wood-based textile alternatives, as well as the role of Finland as a prominent innovation ecosystem is highlighted in media discourses. Critical reflections are largely missing from the discussion, and degrowth discourses to challenge our current way of consuming textiles are very limited. The study draws from the theory of innovation diffusion and the transition framework of the multi-level perspective to discuss its findings and propose recommendations. In conclusion, support and actions from all actors in the socio-technological system are required to create tangible environmental, social, and economic benefits through wood-based textile innovations.

Keywords: Textiles; Innovation; Forest bioeconomy; Media analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934125000711
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:forpol:v:174:y:2025:i:c:s1389934125000711

DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103492

Access Statistics for this article

Forest Policy and Economics is currently edited by M. Krott

More articles in Forest Policy and Economics from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().