Furniture Industry 2026: FSC Licence Number is Mandatory – Not Just the Logo

Many furniture manufacturers advertise with “wood from sustainable forestry” or display an FSC logo. Without a licence number, both are liable to be subject to an EmpCo warning letter.

FSC Licence Obligation: Every brand with FSC certification has its own licence number (format C-XXXXXX). This must be stated in EVERY advertisement featuring FSC. “FSC certified” without a licence number = liable to be subject to a warning letter.

Common mistakes: FSC logo on furniture advertising, but the licence number is missing. “FSC Mix” is advertised, but it is not clear whether it is a mix with controlled wood or with recycled wood. Advertising “FSC Pure” for a product that is only partially certified (see mass balance concept).

Mass Balance Concept: FSC allows mass balance — this means a manufacturer can receive more FSC-certified wood than they use for a specific product. The individual piece of furniture may then contain only 30% FSC wood, but can still be advertised as “FSC Mix”. Important: this must be clearly communicated.

Substantiated vs. unsubstantiated (examples): ❌ A generic statement such as “Made of FSC wood” is not substantiated without concrete evidence (licence number, mix level); ✓ a substantiated statement such as “Solid oak wood from FSC-certified European forests (FSC Mix, Licence C-128467) — low-emission Blauer Engel UZ-38” contains the verifiable details and meets the substantiation requirement (example illustrating the legal position). ❌ A blanket statement such as “Sustainable furniture” remains unsubstantiated; ✓ a substantiated statement such as “Furniture with FSC Licence C-128467, paints according to EN 71-3 low in harmful substances, packaging made from 100% recycled paper” is backed by concrete evidence (example illustrating the legal position).

Paints and Fittings: The non-wood components also count towards the overall statement. Anyone advertising “sustainable” must also include paints (water-based instead of solvent-based), fittings (stainless steel instead of PVC composites) and packaging.

Conclusion: Furniture advertising with FSC ALWAYS needs the licence number + clear mix level. Own “Eco-Lines” without external audit will be subject to a per-se prohibition from 27 September 2026.