The use of materials in the Flemish economy increased between 2010 and 2021, according to a study conducted by VITO (Flemish institute for technological research) for ACR+ member OVAM. The rise in material imports during the period from 2010 to 2021 (+14%) exceeded the limited decrease in Flemish extraction (-6%). Consequently, Flanders has become more dependent on external sources for materials. In addition, the Flemish material footprint has been measured, converting the goods and services traded into the amount of raw materials required to produce them. The study reveals a 6% increase in this footprint between 2010 and 2021 in Flanders, although it has been decreasing since 2019. Finally, the Flemish economy is decoupling from material consumption during the period from 2010 to 2021. The Flemish economy is growing during this period, while material consumption is decreasing. This indicates that less material is needed to produce the same output.