About Cork

Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber L), which grows in Mediterranean regions such as Spain, Italy, France, Morocco, Algeria and, most particularly, in Portugal, home to over 720 thousand hectares of cork forests.

The cork oak is an astonishing tree, very long-lived and with an enormous capacity for regeneration. It can live for up to 200 years, even though its bark is harvested around 16 times during its lifetime, typically at nine-year intervals. Importantly, the tree is not harmed during harvesting.

Cork is a 100% natural, recyclable, and reusable material, making it one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly materials in the world. Read some more information about the unique ecosystem cork forests sustain, as well as other environmental benefits such as carbon sequestering here.

After being stripped from cork oak trees, the cork bark is left to dry naturally in the sun. It is then boiled to clean and soften the material, making it easier to work with. The highest-quality sections are punched out to produce natural cork stoppers.

The remaining cork is used in all sorts of ways – mostly it is shredded then stuck together to make agglomerated cork products, such as cork flooring or cork shoe soles. The specific treatment that is given to the cork at this stage is what determines the final properties and performance of the end cork product.