At the latest with the “Green Deal” of the EU Commission and the official science year “Bio-economy” in Germany, it has become clear that this is not a modern buzzword, but that a comprehensive reorganisation of our economy and life is approaching. The wood using and processing industry is in a good starting position due to the renewable raw material, but is far from being on the home stretch. In particular, the responsible processing of renewable raw materials into high-quality products that can be used over a multiple life cycle is not yet in focus. Whether in the construction sector, furniture production or the packaging industry – the possibilities of the recycling economy are not the focus of attention today, but primarily cost-optimised production, supplemented by the argument that the products are biodegradable. This is where the circular bio-economy must start. The paper deals with the necessity of the cascading use of wood and its valuable processing.