Materials
WHY CORK IS SO GREEN!

Cork is one of the most eco-friendly materials on the planet. It is a resolutely sustainable source, from beginning to end-life – you would be hard-pressed to find a material greener than cork!

Growing primarily in the Mediterranean region, the cork tree needs very little maintenance to flourish. In Portugal, the world’s number one cork producing country, the production of cork is highly regulated. Trees can only be harvested once they reach 25 years of age, and are then harvested every 9 years after regrowth. To harvest the cork produced, the outer layer of skin is stripped from the tree and the tree remains unharmed and continues growing.

Photo Credit : Planete Liege https://planeteliege.com/

The harvested cork is taken to cork processing factories where it is dried, boiled and formed into various materials and products. Amazingly, 90% of the energy used in cork processing is made from burning cork dust, a byproduct of production. In fact, none of the raw material is wasted at all in the production of cork, making it extremely sustainable.

Cork, aside from its remarkable ecological qualities, is both hard-wearing and exceptionally durable, perfect for cushioning and remarkable as insulation. Its natural beauty is enhanced by colour and texture and we hold a large range of colours here, as well as worked and formed flat roll variations.

Take a look at the slideshow to see a selection of corks we have here in our library.

To see their individual qualities click on the following links: CORK, LIÈGE-AGGLO, COLOR CORK, NATCORK B6