CORK

 

Cork, 100% natural, reusable, and recyclable, is - whether from the environmental, social or economic perspectives - one of the world’s most versatile materials.

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Cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree. Its cell walls are covered with a thin layer of wax and the unsaturated fatty acid suberin, making it resistant to air, water, and many acids. Cork is composed of about 15% solid matter, with the rest being air.

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SOURCES

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There are approximately 2.3 million hectares of cork oak forest in the Mediterranean basin, the species' native region. The most extensively managed habitats are in Portugal (34%) and Spain (27%). Annual production is around 300,000 tons.

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Once the trees reach about 25 years of age, the cork is traditionally stripped from the trunks every nine years, with the first two harvests generally producing lower-quality cork (known as male or virgin cork). The trees can live for approximately 300 years.

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HARVESTING

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Cork is extracted only from early May to late August, when it can be separated from the tree without causing permanent damage. When the tree reaches 25–30 years of age and about 24 inches (60 cm) in circumference, the cork can be removed for the first time. However, this initial harvest almost always produces low-quality or 'virgin' cork.

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The workers who specialize in removing cork are known as extractors. An extractor uses a very sharp axe to make two types of cuts on the tree: a horizontal cut around the trunk, called a crown or necklace, at a height of about 2–3 times the tree's circumference, and several vertical cuts, known as rulers or openings. This is the most delicate phase of the process because, although cutting the cork requires significant force, the extractor must avoid damaging the underlying phellogen, or the tree will be harmed.​​