Deconstructing substitution narratives: The case of bioeconomy innovations from the forest-based sector

Under the European Union's bioeconomy strategy, wood-based bioeconomy innovations are expected to produce a stream of marketable substitutive products (lignin-based products, textiles, polymers, chemicals, oils, con-struction materials, etc). By analyzing how different actors frame substitution, this article advances our theo-retical understanding of the drop-in vs functional-innovations (DIFI) framework and critiques the current innovation trajectory that the forest-based sector has embarked upon. The proposed approach sheds light on the role that actors attribute to innovation in the bioeconomy by linking the question of expectations with tech-nological promises and bioeconomy imaginaries. In this respect, this discussion is of relevance for bioeconomy innovation scholars, policymakers, and entrepreneurs seeking to go beyond the current "substitution is the so-lution" storyline of the forest industry and instead, help shape bioeconomy innovations that have the potential to bring about sustainable and transformative change.