In the UAE, millions of date palms are trimmed each year, resulting in substantial amounts of agricultural waste, particularly palm fronds. Traditionally, these fronds were used in building methods, but today they are often discarded or burned. Desert Board, a startup based in the UAE, aims to change this narrative by transforming palm fronds into sustainable building materials.

The startup manufactures high-strength wooden boards entirely from the fronds of the native date palm, effectively turning agricultural waste into valuable resources. Kamal Farah, Director of Desert Board, emphasized the company’s local commitment, stating, “We’re making something from the UAE, in the UAE, for the UAE,” during an interview with Aletihad on the sidelines of the Make it in the Emirates event.

Desert Board operates a 55 000-square-meter automated factory in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), producing enough board to fill sixteen 20-foot shipping containers daily. According to Farah, their products can be used in various applications, including furniture, interior walls, and complete housing structures. He highlighted, “We’re not just making boards. We’re proving that the UAE can lead in sustainable, bio-based manufacturing, without cutting down a single tree.”

The company’s boards are designed to be zero-formaldehyde, carbon-negative, and comply with the UAE’s sustainability goals. Their production process adheres to principles of the circular economy and bio-economy, ensuring that no trees are felled, habitats remain intact, and local agricultural byproducts are utilized effectively.

The palm fronds undergo a unique, multi-stage processing method developed in-house over two decades, which involves pulping and pressing the raw fronds in a three-storey, 25-meter-long press. The final product is bonded into boards that offer high screw-holding strength and fire resistance.

Founded by Hatta Farah, Kamal’s father, Desert Board produced its first board in 2021 after extensive research and development of custom machinery. Looking ahead, the company plans to establish more factories to expand its operations throughout the UAE and possibly into Saudi Arabia to meet increasing demand.