Hamburg, Germany/ 8 April 2025 – F/LIST, the Austria-headquartered pioneer of innovative luxury design for cabin interiors, today launches the aviation industry’s first fully heat-release-compliant wood veneer for premium commercial cabins at AIX 2025. As designers and airlines seek new ways to enhance the passenger experience in premium cabins, differentiate themselves from the competition, and create an “at home-like” atmosphere, F/LIST has developed new technology to ensure the F/LAB Wood Veneer portfolio complies with all aerospace heat release rate tests. The heat-compliant wood veneers are being showcased at F/LIST’s AIX booth, 6B62.
“An increasing number of airlines are eyeing natural and bio-based materials to improve the passenger experience, stand out from competitors, and to attract passengers who could opt to fly privately. With our new heat-release-compliant wood veneer, airlines can now use natural wood instead of plastic, synthetic, or printed designs for more comfort and a calming environment. This is especially important for first class and the emerging super business class suites, where airlines emulate the luxury private jet experience,” says Anita Gradwohl, Group Director, Sales F/LIST.
The F/LAB Wood Veneer will appeal to airlines seeking to elevate the passenger experience with more storytelling about heritage, history, and locality. Using its creative new technology to ensure heat-release compliance, F/LIST can source a variety of wood types, including locally sourced or region-specific varieties, such as bamboo in Asia or silver birch in Europe. Always ensuring the utmost sustainability, durability, and functionality, F/LIST’s heat-compliant technology does not add weight to the aircraft, with the wood veneer being comparable to the weight of decorative foil.
Gradwohl adds, “We work closely with designers and airlines to develop tailored concepts that optimize the use of natural materials. We ensure they are aesthetically pleasing, durable enough to withstand heavy use and can meet the regulatory demands of commercial aerospace customers.”
Unlike synthetic materials, the heat-release-compliant F/LAB Wood Veneer has been developed to add a multi-sensory experience that engages sight, touch, and even scent to bring the external natural environment inside the cabin. Wood’s natural properties help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and contribute to a more peaceful cabin atmosphere, benefiting both passengers and crew.
“Although some aircraft interiors appear to have wood finishings, they are in truth thermoplastics or decorative foils, which is why, in our discussions with industrial design studios and commercial airlines, the response to the heat-compliant offering has been overwhelmingly positive. Natural materials align with the interior design trends we’re seeing in premium commercial aircraft cabins, and we are helping airlines ensure flying becomes more than just a journey with cabins offering true comfort and refinement,” adds Managing Director, F/LIST Aviation Michael Müller.
F/LIST invites airlines, designers, manufacturers, and industry partners to visit booth 6B62 at AIX2025 to experience its portfolio of exquisite materials for premium commercial aircraft cabins firsthand. These innovative materials, including the new heat-release-compliant wood veneer and the F/LAB Stone Inlay, are set to elevate and differentiate commercial cabin interiors, offering an unparalleled combination of luxurious aesthetics, technical performance, and environmental responsibility.
