Wood adhesives were formulated using tannin and N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) fatty amides (HEFAs). The natural tannin-based adhesives can be used to replace formaldehyde-based adhesive systems and thereby reduce formaldehyde and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from adhesives used for plywoods. Performance properties of the adhesively bonded wood joints viz., tensile strength, impact strength and chemical resistance were measured. N, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) fatty amides (HEFAs) from non-traditional oils were mixed with a pure tannin-based adhesive as a crosslinker, and this increased the tensile strength, impact strength and chemical resistance of wood joints. The results revealed that a high performance and eco-friendly adhesive system for wood can be successfully formulated using tannin and HEFA. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011