Cork's Facts and Figures

• Cork is the outer bark of the evergreen cork oak (Quercus suber). This variety of oak grows mainly in Portugal, Spain, southern France, Italy, and the Maghreb.
• Cork is sustainable. It is harvested by stripping the bark every nine years. Each cork oak tree provides an average 16 harvests over its 150-200 year lifespan.
• Cork consists of a tight web of up to 40 million cells per cubic centimetre. The cell membranes retain gas, giving cork its capacity to float, insulate and re-expand quickly after compression.
• Cork is natural, recyclable and biodegradable. No natural or man-made material replicates its properties.
• Cork retains unique qualities of flexibility, elasticity and compressibility. Its extreme resilience, impermeability, lightness and insulating efficiency make it ideal for a large number of applications.