Søuld’s products are formed from eelgrass collected after it washes ashore along the Danish coastline, then dried by sun and wind on nearby fields. The dried fibres are sorted, shredded to a standard length, impregnated with a natural non-toxic flame retardant and combined with a biocomponent binder designed for cellulose fibres and recyclability. The result is a range of acoustic mats and boards for ceilings and walls that store carbon over the life of the building, resist fire without synthetic treatment as the primary defence, and contain no toxic chemicals.

Søuld is a certified B Corp, and its products carry a third-party-verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

Find out more at sould.dk

Certifications

• Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) – third-party verified
• ASTM E84 Class A (fire, surface burning characteristics)
• Certified B Corporation

How it works

Eelgrass is naturally impregnated with minerals as it grows, which gives the raw material an inherent degree of fire protection. Søuld collects the washed-ashore plant, analyses and classifies it, then shreds it into standardised fibres. Those fibres are treated with a natural flame retardant, blended with a binder formulated for recyclability, and formed into batts using airlaid technology. The batts are compressed into mats through a process that pairs low temperature with high compression, then cut to standard or custom sizes ready for installation. The products are designed to be fully circular and can be returned at end of life to become a second-generation Søuld product.

Why it matters

Søuld demonstrates how an overlooked natural material can meet the performance requirements of a modern interior while lowering its environmental impact:

• Carbon storage: Eelgrass captures carbon as it grows. Left to decompose on the shore, that carbon returns to the atmosphere; locked into a building product, it is stored over the material’s service life, which Søuld’s manufacturing is designed to make a net carbon-storing outcome.
• Acoustic performance: The porous fibre structure absorbs sound across a wide frequency range. Søuld’s Baffle, Wall and Wooden Joints products achieve a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 0.65.
• Fire and emissions: The panels meet ASTM E84 Class A for surface burning, combining the eelgrass’s natural mineral content with an added flame retardant, and release very low emissions indoors.
• Health and circularity: No toxic chemicals, low emissions, and a fully recyclable product that can re-enter Søuld’s own production stream.

Typical applications

Søuld’s panels and mats suit interior walls and suspended or fixed ceilings across residential, commercial and public spaces where acoustic comfort and a natural, tactile surface are priorities – offices, civic and cultural buildings, hospitality and residential interiors. The material also regulates humidity and adds thermal comfort, and its texture and scent are part of what it offers as a finish.

Specification considerations

• Products and finishes: The range includes acoustic mats and rigid boards; through Spinneybeck the eelgrass is also offered in baffle, wall and suspended-ceiling systems, and can be specified alongside wool felt in a wide colour range where a backing is used.
• Sourcing and lead time: Eelgrass is collected seasonally and produced in Denmark, so Australian projects should factor import and lead time into early specification.
• Sample assessment: Søuld supplies a sample kit; given the material’s tactile and olfactory character, a physical sample is worth assessing before specifying at scale.

 

Read more about the rise in materials using marine waste and by-products, called blue biomass.