Cork

Anti-MicrobialBeautyCompostableCorkFire-ResistantFood & BeverageLightweightLow-CarbonPackagingRecyclableRegenerativeStrongTemperature-ResistantTextilesWater Repellent

WHAT WE SAY:

The bark of cork oaks has been used for around 5000 years. You probably know it best as a wine bottle stopper, but due to its versatile nature, cork has become a go-to material for countless industries.

Lighter than glass, very strong and, of course, more environmentally friendly than plastic, cork has found its place in the packaging and fashion industries, as well as being utilised as insulation for the built environment. It is a highly regenerative, multi-purpose, carbon-sequestering material whose time has definitely circled round at the perfect moment.

Cork massage balls / Source: Shutterstock

WHAT IS CORK?

Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber L.). It is approximately 40% suberin (a physical barrier that prevents water loss and protects a plant against pathogens), which is what gives it its hydrophobic and rubbery qualities.
Harvesting is carried out by hand with an axe or machete and starts when a tree has been growing for 25 years. Trees are left to rest for nine years between each harvest. But as they live for 150-200 years, they can be harvested around 16 times. The largest cork tree in Portugal can make 100,000 wine stoppers from one harvest.
After harvesting, the bark is left to weather for six months. From there, the cork is boiled to give it a consistent moisture content. During this process, the volume of cork increases by 20%.
As a material, cork is slip-resistant, water-resistant, fire-resistant, compressible, lightweight and antimicrobial. It also acts as an insulator. It can be cut, sanded and handled like wood, or moulded using either heat, pressure and water, or natural binding agents.
Like any natural wood product, cork is compostable and biodegradable, depending, as ever, on whether it is mixed with other materials. Cork is also fully recyclable, but recycling rates are dependent on collection and processing facilities in varying regions.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Anti-Microbial
Compostable
Fire-Resistant
Lightweight
Low-Carbon
Recyclable
Regenerative
Strong
Temperature-Resistant
Water Repellent

INDUSTRY:

Beauty
Food & Beverage
Packaging
Textiles

AVAILABILITY:

Mass Market

DIVE DEEPER:

Unlike Paper, manufacturing cork does not require the tree to be cut down. Instead, it is made from the renewable outer bark of the tree which is harvested as part of a regenerative forestry system.
According to Amorim Cork Composites, one of the largest cork manufacturers in the world, for every tonne of cork produced, cork forests sequester up to 73 tonnes of CO2. This is a recurring process, as removing the bark encourages new growth which enables new carbon sequestration. A harvested cork oak tree stores up to five times more carbon than an unharvested tree.
A Mediterranean evergreen oak that now grows on most continents, the cork tree is native to northwestern Africa and southwestern Europe. Portugal supplies around 80% of cork produced worldwide.
As well as sequestering carbon, cork forests foster biodiversity, with close to 135 plant species per square kilometre. Endangered animals, including the Iberian Lynx, Iberian Imperial Eagle and Barbary Deer call the cork forests of Portugal home. Investing in cork is an investment in sustainable forestry and custodianship.
The environmental benefits of cork, coupled with its versatility, has seen its applications expand beyond the traditional wine bottle stopper. However, it’s estimated around 13 billion are still made each year, with the majority of all cork being used to manufacture wine stoppers.
In packaging, Lush has been one of the beauty market leaders making reusable cork travel cases for its bath and shampoo bars. The company claims each 35 gram pot sequesters over 33 times its weight in carbon dioxide.
IPL Packaging makes cork shippers for wine bottles, while stationary manufacturer AJOTO developed cork packaging for its products.
Laflore Paris and Corkor both make “vegan leather” products using cork, which provides the look and feel of leather without the pollution and persistence in the environment. And, of course, Birkenstock has been putting cork in the footbeds of its sandals for 200 years.
As an insulator, NASA uses cork to shield engines on space shuttles. It has to be able to withstand enormous differences in temperature when leaving and entering earth’s atmosphere.
Back on earth, Thermacork makes insulation from only water and cork. The company claims 90-93% of the energy required to make Thermacork is sourced from the dust and impurities shaken off the bark during the first stage of processing.
Nike has released a series of its most iconic trainers made from cork, and further applications for the material include yoga mats, floor tiles, chairs and cricket balls.
Cork recycling rates are low but recycled cork is emerging as a viable, commercial material, thanks to companies like ReCORK, which runs a natural wine cork recycling programme. To date, it has collected 128,772,485 corks.
Certifications for cork include PEFC and FSC, as well as carbon certifications such as Carbon Neutral and Carbon Negative.

KEY FACTS:

73tns

According to Amorim Cork Composites, for every tonne of cork produced, cork forests sequester up to 73 tonnes of CO2

5x

A harvested cork oak tree stores up to five times more carbon than an unharvested tree

80%

of cork produced worldwide is supplied by Portugal

Key Questions to Ask:

What does the end-of-life stage look like for what you’re designing?

Currently, only around 2-3% of cork stoppers worldwide are recycled and although cork is biodegradable, a lack of access to, or experience with, composting facilities may pose a barrier. Can your product double as a seed planter which will inherently find its way into the ground? Or can you partner with a recycling programme and educate your consumer on how and where to recycle?

Does your product represent long-term value?

Cork harvesting is one of the highest paid agricultural professions in the world, making cork a more expensive choice than synthetic alternatives. Your product should have staying power so the extra cost is justified in its quality and longevity.

Who is doing the harvesting?

A tree must be allowed to first mature and then rest between harvests, and if a tree is gouged or damaged during harvesting, it won’t regrow bark. Experience and skill are key to the regenerative nature of cork, so you should take the time to find out exactly where your cork comes from and who’s harvesting it.

Can you model demand?

Cork can only be harvested during the active growth phase, between the middle of May and the end of August. Can you pre-empt what demand will be or work with your suppliers to phase delivery to avoid warehousing issues?

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