Congrats, Satsuma—first EPDs now on the board
Satsuma just entered the transparency arena with their first Environmental Product Declarations. For teams bidding wood‑frame projects, that means real, verifiable data on cedar structural lumber instead of hand‑waving. It also signals a go‑to‑market shift toward specs where EPDs tilt decisions. Here’s the quick snapshot, why it matters, and how the field stacks up today.
Satsuma’s first‑ever EPDs at a glance
Satsuma published two product‑specific EPDs in January 2026: Structural Lumber for Wood Frame Construction and Finger‑Jointed Structural Lumber for Wood Frame Construction. Both are verified and published by EPD Hub.
Category fit is clear. These documents cover sawn Japanese cedar dimension lumber for platform‑frame applications, including standard studs and high‑stud lengths, plus finger‑jointed variants suitable for two‑by‑four construction. The PCR basis is EN 16485 for wood and wood‑based products.
Why this changes specs math
Project teams increasingly expect product‑specific EPDs for framing packages because EPDs reduce the model risk of defaulting to conservative datasets. That expectation has only grown as regional, industry‑average lumber EPDs appeared in the U.S. across Pacific Coast, Inland Northwest, and Southern regions in 2024, with the Northern region added in 2025 (American Wood Council, 2024) (American Wood Council, 2025). Even when a sector average exists, product‑specific declarations help a brand compete on measured performance rather than a blanket average.
What’s inside the scope
Read the titles literally. One EPD covers structural lumber, the other covers finger‑jointed structural lumber. Both point to use in platform‑frame walls and floors with Japanese cedar feedstock. Language in the summaries suggests family‑level coverage across common stud sizes and longer lengths rather than a single SKU. That maps cleanly to how specifiers actually buy framing packages.
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The competitive picture right now
Closest direct peers in EC3 today include Kyowamokuzai and Red Stag Timber, both active in structural lumber categories.
- Kyowamokuzai shows multiple current EPDs, including Structural Softwood Lumber and Finger‑Jointed Lumber, verified by EPD Hub. That indicates similar coverage in the same use cases.
- Red Stag Timber has a broad set of current EPDs for sawn and planed timber under The International EPD System and EPD Australasia, giving them wide category visibility.
Net effect. Satsuma’s two documents bring them to table‑stakes parity on core framing declarations, especially for finger‑jointed studs where comparability matters. It puts them in more conversations where teams filter for product‑specific EPDs before they shortlist suppliers.
Commercial implications for sales and channel partners
With current, third‑party verified EPDs, Satsuma can show up in bid packages that screen on declarations first, price second. That shortens back‑and‑forth with sustainability reviewers and keeps distributors from defaulting to a competitor that already has paperwork in place. The cost of an EPD is frequently dwarfed by a single mid‑sized project win once the product is eligible for more specs.
Operator choice, briefly
Satsuma’s documents publish with EPD Hub, a digital‑first program operator recognized by ECO Platform. For teams working across the U.S. and EU, EPD Hub’s EN 15804 formatting and ECO alignment support broad acceptance. If key accounts ask for a different operator, the important part is that the LCA model and data collection are sound. The rest is packaging and governance preferences.
Make it easy to find
We looked for these EPDs on Satsuma’s website and could not locate a sustainability or resources page that hosts them at the time of writing. Visibility matters. Adding the PDFs and short summaries to a clearly labeled Sustainability or Downloads page helps specifiers self‑serve and reduces email friction. Do it once, then keep that page fresh. It’s definately worth it.
The takeaway
First EPDs are now live. Two core lumber families covered. Published in January 2026. That combination moves Satsuma from “promising” to “proven” in the eyes of specifiers who filter for verified data. The competitive field is active, yet these documents put Satsuma in the fight for more wood‑frame projects where declarations unlock opportunity.
(Background on regional lumber EPDs: American Wood Council’s regional softwood lumber EPD releases in 2024 and 2025 confirm market demand for transparent, comparable framing data (American Wood Council, 2024) (American Wood Council, 2025).)
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly did Satsuma publish and when?
Two product‑specific EPDs for Structural Lumber and Finger‑Jointed Structural Lumber, published in January 2026 under EPD Hub.
Which PCR do these EPDs reference?
EN 16485 for wood and wood‑based products used in construction.
Do close competitors have similar EPD coverage?
Yes. Kyowamokuzai and Red Stag Timber both show current structural lumber EPDs in the same general categories. Satsuma’s move brings them to parity on core framing declarations.
Where can specifiers read more about the operator?
See our operator overview of EPD Hub for context on verification, scope, and market acceptance.
About the Author
John brings a clear, research-driven perspective on the EPD, LCA and HPD space and keeps a close pulse on environmental trends and standards in North America, helping clients understand where the industry is heading and how to get there.
