As the film and entertainment industry works toward a lower-impact future, design departments are rethinking the very materials that shape their worlds. This shift isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about eliminating toxic inputs, reducing landfill waste, and building environments that align with modern sustainability goals.
Two organizations at the forefront of this transformation are the Art Directors Guild (ADG) Green Committee and the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance (SEA). ADG Green is a working group within the ADG, focused on reducing the environmental footprint of art departments through education, advocacy, and resource sharing. SEA, a broader coalition of sustainability leaders across the entertainment industry, helps accelerate eco-conscious practices by connecting professionals with vetted materials and strategies.
In an industry where materials must be fast, flexible, and non-toxic, ECOR is proving that sustainable alternatives can also meet the highest standards of performance. In collaboration with the ADG and the SEA, ECOR panels were recently put to the test.
ECOR supplied its ¼-inch panel product, made from 100% recycled cellulose fibers like wheat straw and soy husk. These panels were tested in real-world conditions, where experienced fabricators built flats and applied standard treatments such as paint, primer, wallpaper, rock skins, staples, sanding, and CNC router work
What emerged was a strong performance review from hands-on professionals. The panels held up across construction and finishing phases, with testers noting that ECOR showed itself to be a viable alternative to MDF, particleboard, and even luan in some applications.
The ADG Green Committee has long emphasized that product choices must balance performance, price, availability, and sustainability. Their work, in collaboration with SEA, is helping bring vetted alternatives directly into the hands of production teams who are ready to make a change.
As the ADG Green report notes, ECOR’s panels offer a way forward that meets technical demands without relying on virgin wood, toxic binders, or single-use materials. But more than that, this case reflects a larger shift: one where studios, designers, and fabricators are coming together to prototype the future of green production, one panel at a time.
You can click the link below to the full ADG Green Report to learn more. If you are interested in our panels, testing sheets are available now. Visit our contact page to get in touch with a materials specialist. We’re continuing to support film and entertainment professionals across departments who are building with the planet in mind.