Fir Branches instead of whole trees

October 3, 2024

Fir branches for your Keinachtsbaum®

We are convinced that using fir branches instead of whole trees is more sustainable! When assessing the sustainability of fir branches, we need to look at both the current situation and how we can change the industry through new cultivation methods and the creation of a new market.

Commercially available fir branches currently come from two sources:

fir branch plantations
Waste from Christmas tree plantations

At Keinachtsbaum®, we take a different approach. Our philosophy is to obtain fir branches exclusively from sustainably managed fir branch plantations. This means: our trees can continue to live.

Instead of felling entire trees, we only take what grows back – creating an alternative that is not only more beautiful but also more sustainable.

fir branch plantations – an idea with a future

The trees in fir branch plantations remain standing after the branches are harvested and continue to grow. This way, the trees can be used for decades, storing plenty of CO2, producing oxygen, and serving as a habitat for birds and other creatures during this time. There are two types of harvesting: crown cutting (also the branches taken from the top) and side cutting (the branches that sprout anew each year on the sides).

As you can see in the pictures, fir trees shed their lower branches in their natural environment over time. The growth pattern of fir branches trees is therefore not so dissimilar to that of a conifer in the forest, is it?

A few final tips for perfect greens

The freshness of your branches is important here. Fir branches in retail are usually intended for pre-Christmas decoration and the creation of Advent wreaths. They also arrive in stores very early and are often harvested as early as October. Therefore, these fir branches naturally have a very short shelf life if you use them to decorate your Keinachtsbaum® at Christmas time. Fresh fir branches (we harvest only 2-3 days before delivery), in contrast, last just as long as a normal tree (2-4 weeks).

For extra long durability and intense fragrance, you also receive branches of the Nobilis fir, which are normally almost impossible to obtain due to their growth form. But thanks to the Keinachtsbaum®, you are no longer dependent on the growth form of the trees, but simply build your dream tree with the branches.

In the future, we want to build a regional network of producers with our own fir branches plantations based on the forest garden principle. This is to be our contribution to the further development of agriculture and forestry towards sustainable management of our earth.