Fire safety has become a top priority in modern construction. Building regulations are tightening, while biophilic design trends favour the use of wood and other fire-sensitive materials. This makes effective flame retardants more critical than ever. A new generation of solutions – inspired by nature’s own ways of slowing fire – is emerging to meet the demands of tomorrow’s buildings.
Why flame retardants matter
Flame retardants buy time. They don’t stop fire completely, but they lower the risk of ignition and slow the spread of flames. That extra time makes evacuation possible before a building structure gives way. In short, flame retardants are developed to protect human lives.
Fire safety is especially relevant in today’s construction, where renewable materials are increasingly used in everything from insulation to interior surfaces. While sustainable, these material choices also increase the need for effective fire protection.
Where flame retardants are used
Fire retardant solutions are applied across a wide range of construction applications and materials. These include thermal and acoustic insulation, wall and ceiling panels, filters, plywood, and other wood- and cellulose-based materials. In public spaces across Europe, flame-retardant paper and cardboard are also increasingly required for exhibition stands, posters, and wall panels.
Invisible protection – why aesthetics matter in flame retardants
While many building materials remain hidden inside structures, others – like acoustic panels and decorative surfaces – stay visible. In these cases, flame protection must work without altering the look, feel, or colour of the material.
The most effective flame retardants protect against fire while keeping materials looking and feeling as intended — no yellowing, staining, changes in colour, or unwanted odours.
Just as importantly, flame retardants must be pleasant to handle in production. Sticky residues clog machines and compromise the final result.
“If you’ve carefully chosen the colour and texture of a panel, you don’t want a flame retardant that alters it,” says Kiilto’s RDI Manager Riku Salomäki.
“And you certainly don’t want one that makes surfaces sticky or emits an unwanted odour. At Kiilto, we have developed formulations that are effective, yet virtually invisible. Unnoticeable in everyday use, reliable in an emergency – that’s the principle guiding every solution we create.”
From halogen to bio-based and beyond
Flame retardants have come a long way in just a few decades. The first generation relied on halogenated compounds, most commonly based on bromine and chlorine. They were highly effective but also toxic, and are now phased out in Europe.
The second generation shifted to phosphorus-based solutions, which quickly became the global standard. They offered safer formulations and are still widely used today, but phosphorus is a finite resource and not always the most sustainable choice.
The third generation is already emerging: bio-based flame retardants. Kiilto is among the frontrunners in this transition, with solutions already proving their value in selected applications. In others, development is still ongoing — but the direction is clear. “Phosphorus still has its place in certain applications, but we see bio-based solutions as the real future,” says Salomäki. “We’ve proven that you don’t have to compromise on performance to take this step forward. We’ve already succeeded in developing a 100% bio-based flame retardant, and development doesn’t stop here.”
Inspired by nature, advanced through technology
Even beyond bio-based, Kiilto’s product developers are already focused on the next generation of flame retardants, which draws inspiration from nature itself.
“The best ideas often come from nature. Even the largest trees can survive wildfires thanks to the protective properties of bark. Protective natural polymers can be found in the ocean and forests, as well as in underutilised sidestreams. Each year, novel bio-based raw materials are discovered and brought to industrial scale production. We are there at the forefront, testing and evaluating their suitability for flame retardants,” Salomäki explains.
At Kiilto, this inspiration from nature is paired with technological progress. The team is exploring how AI-driven formulation optimisation and advanced computational methods can accelerate product development.
Automating routine tasks leaves more room for creativity and problem-solving.
This approach accelerates the journey toward flame retardants that are not only effective and sustainable, but also quicker and easier to develop.
From lab to real-world applications
Flame retardant development isn’t something done in isolation in a lab; you need to see how the product performs in practice. A formulation that works perfectly in theory doesn’t always behave the same way in industrial-scale production.
Kiilto supports its customers throughout the entire process — from small-scale testing to full production trials — fine-tuning both the formulation and the process parameters.
“The real insights come when you move from theory to practice,” Salomäki notes. “We help customers bridge that gap so their solutions work reliably in real-world production.”
Development never stops
From halogen- to bio-based formulations, flame retardants have evolved through several generations. And the work doesn’t stop here. Kiilto stays actively involved in research, following new discoveries across industries and exploring how they could be applied in flame retardant solutions.
“The best part of my job is burning the samples,” Salomäki laughs, before adding on a more serious note: “Every test is a chance to see what we’ve improved and what we can do better. That constant challenge is what keeps development moving forward.”
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