Cork is a 100% natural product, completely renewable, extracted from the bark of the cork oak – Quercus Suber L – a unique tree whose natural habitat is the Western Mediterranean basin.
The cork oak is the basis of an ecological system that is unique in the world. It contributes to the survival of many native species of fauna and flora and prevents desertification in vulnerable areas. It is fundamental to preserving the environment.
Among the various characteristics that distinguish the cork oak from the other trees in its botanical species, what stands out most is its capacity to regenerate naturally after each extraction of its bark, the cork. The lifespan of a cork oak is between 170 and 200 years, during which time its bark may be stripped around 15 to 18 times.
On a world level, the cork oak forest occupies an area of 2.3 million hectares, from which 340,000 tons of cork are extracted every year. More than 33% of the world area is concentrated in Portugal. Spain follows with 22%, some North African countries with 37% (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), and France and Italy account for the remaining 8%.
The cork sector takes on fundamental importance for the national economy. Portugal is the leader in producing and transforming cork, responsible for 55% of world production, with 90% of the raw material, most of which is processed, going to the external market.
With a forested area of 750,000 hectares of cork oak, Portugal has chosen the path of undertaking significant reafforestation. Between 1993 and 1997, more than 100,000 hectares were planted, representing an increase of 16%. The rate of reafforestation is, at the present time, 10,000 hectares per year.

Source: APCOR

The secret of the raw material cork’s performance lies in its cell structure. The interior of the cork is made up of a honeycomb of tiny cells of suberin, a complex acid, and filled with a mixture of gas almost identical to air. On average, each cubic centimetre of cork contains 40 million cells, while one cork stopper contains around 800 million cells.

Chemical composition of cork:

• suberin (45%) – main component of the cell walls, responsible for the elasticity of the cork;
• lignin (27%) – insulating compound;
• polysaccharides (12%) - components of the cell walls that help define the texture of the cork;
• tannins (6%) – polyphenolic compounds responsible for the colour;
• seroids (5%) – hydrophobic compounds that guarantee the impermeability of the cork.

The structure and chemical composition of cork give it a set of unique qualities:

• renewable raw material;
• 100% natural and biodegradable product;
• impermeable to liquids and gases;
• lightness/buoyancy – its density is around 0.2;
• resistant to penetration of humidity – impermeable to both liquids and gases;
• elasticity/compressibility – power to reacquire its original form after undergoing pressure – the only solid that does not suffer lateral dilatation;
• excellent thermal, acoustic and anti-vibratic insulation;
• resistance to wear and tear –resistance to abrasion and its high friction coefficient;
• does not absorb dust – prevents allergies;
• fire resistant – fire retardant.

• natural, renewable product;
• non-polluting and forest-friendly: it does not destroy the forest but promotes its cleanliness and conservation instead;
• it allows reafforestation of areas at risk of desertification;
• chemically inert, not detrimental to the health, when burned it does not release any toxic gases;
• resistant to wear and tear – remains unchanged despite the passage of time;
• the lowest thermal conductivity among fire resistant products.

It should be emphasised that the cork bark is only stripped once in every decade.
The tree is never damaged.

Using cork keeps our forest alive.

How cork is used

In addition to its ecological value, the cork oak is remarkable in that every part of the tree serves some useful economic purpose.
Here are a few examples:

• The acorn of the cork tree, as well as being used for propagation, is used as animal fodder and as a source of cooking oils;
• The leaves of the tree are used as fodder and a natural fertiliser;
• Tree prunings and decrepit trees provide firewood and charcoal.
• Various chemical products are made from the tannins and natural acids contained within the wood.

Of course, the most valuable part of the tree is the bark, used for making myriad cork products.
More than 50 per cent of the cork bark goes into stoppers, including natural wine corks, champagne corks, Twin Top corks, bar-top corks for fortified wines and spirits, and small corks for other uses.
All of the cork bark is used in production - nothing is wasted. As cork waste is generated in the production process, it is granulated and returned into the process. Even the fine particles of cork dust are collected and used as fuel to heat the factory boilers.
Cork is also combined with rubber for gaskets, valves and insulation in buildings and railways. It is even found in components of the space shuttle.

Natural Cork:

• cork stoppers and closures (wine, cognac, whisky, beer, Port Wine, pharmaceutical products);
• conical stoppers for laboratories;
• stoppers for champagne, sparkling wines and cider;
• stoppers with a wooden, ceramic or plastic top, for whisky, cognac, Port Wine or sherry; footwear industry (insoles, orthopaedic);
• floats, buoys;
• mats, coverings for floors, ceilings and walls;
• shuttlecocks (badminton);
• bungs, stoppers and washers, discs, protective plates, sanding blocks;

Granulates and agglomerates:

• all agglomerated products (corkrubber, gifts, with ceramic applications, champagne corks);
• linoleum manufacture;
• construction of buildings (thermal insulation);
• anti-seismic structures;
• dilatation/compression gaskets (bridges, buildings);
• components for the footwear industry;
• decoration, public and domestic;
• parquets;
• hockey, golf and baseball balls;
• gifts (memo boards, ashtrays, boxes, dartboards);

Insulation Cork:

• thermal, acoustic and anti-vibratic insulation;
• pipe insulation (gas, oil);
• construction, walls;
• refrigeration industry;
• airports;
• music studios, discotheques and bookshops.

Corkrubber:

• automotive industry (gaskets, meters, valves, transmissions, other engine components);
• gaskets for electric and gas equipment;
• acoustic and anti-vibratic insulation (construction, railways);
• components for the footwear industry.