Why cork ?

Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber), of which it covers the trunk and branches. Cork harvesting is 100% sustainable as no tree need to be cut down. After harvesting, the cork oak tree re-grows its outer bark layer, and can be stripped about 15 times throughout its life.

• 14 years : the period of time between each harvesting of the cork oak in Southern France
• 30 years : the average time we need to await before the first harvesting of the cork oak.
• 200 years : The average life expectancy of a cork oak

Cork features a hive-like structure of cells, filled with gas and mostly coated with suberin and lignin. The gas contained in each cell, comparable to air, gives cork’s exceptional lightness. This aggregate of microscopic cells is responsible for cork’s elasticity and compressibility. In one cubic centimeter of cork, you may find as many as 40 million cells, all acting as tiny insulating cushions. Because of these unique features, Cork is often referred as “nature’s foam”.

  100% natural, renewable, and recycable

  Elasticity and compressibility

  High coefficient of friction

  Thermal behavior : insulation and effusivity

  Sound insulation

  Airtight and watertight

  Resistance to fire and high temperatures

  Hypoallergenic

  Lightness

  Soft touch

The greatest support to climate regulation : the cork oak forest offers a key contribution to our atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide. It has been calculated that per each ton of cork produced, the cork oak forest can store up to 73 tons of CO₂.* This places cork as one of the very few raw material on earth with a negative carbon footprint.

The cork oak : a unique and unparalleled tree

The Massif des Maures and Esterel (cork oak forest in Southern France) shelters a unique biodiversity-generating ecosystem. The main benefits of the cork oak tree :

  Shelters high levels of biodiversity

  Stores carbon dioxide throughout its entire life

  Absorbs up to 5 times more carbon dioxide during the regeneration of its bark

  Regulates the hydrological cycle

  Fights desertification and soil degradation

*Source: https://www.apcor.pt/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brochura_Ambiente__EN.pdf

New techniques and innovation have been reshaping the cork industry over the last decades, helping the development of an amazing combination of new materials, challenging researchers to optimize its usages.

However its main application remains the sealing of wines and spirits : cork is the selected material for more than 70% of the world wine producers.

Many of its other uses are probably not known by consumers because they may not be directly visible. However, cork benefits are remarkable and outstanding. Cork unique properties are available in many different shapes: natural, granulated, agglomerated in pannels, sheets or rolls and in combination with other materials (composite products).

Cork properties make it an all-purpose solution, and suitable for a very wide range of applications:

  Thermal insulation

  Sound dampening and vibration control

  Indoor and outdoor flooring

  Flotation

  Gasketing

Load bearing

  Polishing

  Sealing

  Energy saving

  Weight reduction

Who knows what we will find next ?