Generally it is bye-product of big timber industries in the form of shavings of light weight timbers like chir, deodar and kail etc. At times it may be specially prepared with the help of special planning machines.
It is an effective heat and sound insulating material. It is fairly cheap and flexible.
Generally it is used in packaging of delicate materials for transportation and in the manufacture of fibre boards.
Wood wool fibers can be compressed and when the pressure is removed they resume their initial volume. This is a useful property for minimizing their volume when shipping. Due to its high volume and large surface area, wood wool can be used for applications where water or moisture retention is necessary. The width of wood wool fibers varies from 1.5 to 20 mm, while their length is usually around 500 mm (depending on the production process).
In the UK there are specifications for dimensions, pH, moisture content and freedom from dust and small pieces, set by British Standard BS 2548 for wood wool for general packaging purposes. This standard was originally issued in 1954 and subsequently re-issued in 1986.
When these fibers are bonded with cement or magnesite, bonded wood wool boards are produced. Slabs of bonded wood wool are considered environmentally friendly construction and insulation materials because they do not contain organic binders.
a packaging material for cushioning.
a stuffing for plush toys or for real animals in taxidermy. It was traditionally used in stuffing Teddy bears and is still is for the muzzles of some collectible bears.
bedding for animals and their cages.Wood wool serves cushion the animals while providing some warmth and absorbing waste.= For example, its found on dairies, in hutches and in cardboard boxes when shipping day-old poultry within the U.S.A..
when dyed green, the material can be used as an artificial grass in Easter egg baskets.This was popular before the prevalence of plastics.
mats and blankets for erosion control.
a material used in the production of cement-bonded wood wool boards.
when banded into a bale form, it used as an archery backstop, comparable to how a straw bale would be used for the same purpose. If protected from the elements, an excelsior archery backstop can last for many years. If sections of it wear down because of repeated targeting, the bale can be soaked liberally since it then expands and holds water, just like a dry sponge.
garden mulches and as a growing medium for hydroponic gardens.