The invasive exotic plant species Japanese knotweed has taken an important place in the Flemish landscape in the last few years. Regardless of numerous efforts by local governments its presence has only increased, due to its persistent nature and difficult management. The "Japanese knotweed as a raw material" project aims to not only remove the invasive species, but also valorise its basic components for the manufacturing of several products, such as biochar. The collaboration between RELEAF and Pro Natura, a social employment enterprise, with funding from the East-Flemish government, allowed us to safely harvest the Japanese knotweed, produce a quality raw material and compose several final products.