CORK UP YOUR LIFE

Cork products became a trend around the World. They come in all forms you can think of: handbags, shoes, belts, hats, aprons, wallets, jewelry, souvenirs...Cork is not only the wine bottle stopper anymore.

"A symbol of renewal and longevity, the cork oak has a lifetime of 250-350 years and is the only tree whose bark regenerates itself after each harvest. It takes 20 to 25 years before the first cork can be removed from a cork oak. After the first extraction, cork can be harvested every nine years. An adult cork oak produces several hundred pounds at each harvesting and will live for many generations. It survives and prospers as part of a unique worldwide ecosystem: the cork oak meadow." (Source)

 I really like the way the final cork products look like, they remind me how beautiful is Mother Earth and well, my passion for trees. The features of cork are diverse: elasticity, durability, hypoallergenic, waterproof, lightness and suppleness. After prolonged treatment the cork becomes almost like leather. The cork textile product is cleaned with a soft cloth moistened in warm water or a soapy water solution.

I was surprised to find several cork shops on Etsy. My personal favourites and worth a visit are: (click to acess) :: Mary Mercedes ::  | :: Cozy Detailz :: | :: WyomingHammered ::

I visited the Cork Shop in Loulé, Portugal with an interview intention for Small Business Love series but the owner is barely there. Oh! At least I was able to take pictures for a blog post.

Did you ever hear about Cork products? Do you imagine any bizarre item made of cork? Share in the comments!