German researchers have developed a manufacturing technique for making toys and even speaker boxes from a new renewable source, liquid wood. It’s derived from wood pulp-based lignin and can be mixed with hemp, flax or wood fibers and other additives such as wax to create a strong, nontoxic alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The bio-plastic has been named Arboform.

The institute began looking for alternatives to oil-based products in the mid-’90s to lower the dependence on oil, however, any alternative material would need to be relatively abundant. Lignin offers an ideal candidate because tens of millions of tons are often discarded as a byproduct of the papermaking process.

The expanding list of health problems linked to plastic ingredients, such as heavy metals and softeners known as phthalates, also has ramped up the need to find a good substitute for manufacturing toys and other products.