Cork is a natural and environmentally friendly material of ancient tradition and processing. Cork is obtained from the bark of the cork oak, a tree that lives 150 to 200 years, which is harvested by hand up to 16 times during the life of these trees, but only for four months of the year, from May to August. Precisely because the tree does not even have to be cut down, cork is a renewable and sustainable resource.
In addition, by harvesting the bark, a cork oak produces up to 4 times more cork and thus binds climate-damaging carbon dioxide even more strongly. In this way, Mediterranean cork oaks filter almost 15 million tonnes of harmful substances from the air every year.
To make cork fabric, the kind used for bags and accessories, only the middle layer of the bark, or the finer part because it is of higher quality, is used. The remaining layers of the bark are used to produce corks, floor coverings, soles, objects or used in construction. Indeed, cork has breathable, insulating and antibacterial properties.
The cork layer is then joined with natural adhesive to form large panels. Finally, these panels are cut very thin with sharp knives and applied to a backing material. This elaborate process produces a robust and water-repellent material, also known as cork leather or vegan leather. Each piece is unique and special due to its natural texture.
The cork leather thus obtained is an ecological and natural material that can be used as a sustainable alternative to leather, free of formaldehyde and other health-damaging substances with many properties:
- recyclable, waterproof, elastic and fireproof
- more environmentally sustainable than the production of synthetic materials
- light, practical, washable, resistant and dirt-repellent
- 100% vegan
Portugal has the largest cork oak forests in Europe, the so-called Montados. There, centuries-old forests form one of the most important ecosystems in the world. The cork forests offer protection to up to 200 different animal species and countless plant species and are therefore the perfect sustenance for endangered animal species such as the Iberian lynx or the imperial eagle.
Sardinia is of course also known for its long tradition of cork processing.
