A Material Choice: what we learn from cork
I’ve written before about the misinformation surrounding wood as a sustainable material choice. The timber market continues to grow at an alarming rate, and despite strict legislation in many of the major timber producing countries, increasing global demands mean illegal logging is rife. The US, EU and Australia have passed laws in recent years to ban imported timber from illegal sources. However, this is not easy to manage. Corruption is common in the sale and distribution of wood, which is worsened by distant, complicated and elongated supply chains.
Cork: a truly sustainable product
When we specify materials for interior design projects, it’s a complex and imperfect process; finding materials that are not only beautiful and versatile, but genuinely sustainable. In an industry often guilty of waste and overconsumption, the need for products that support circular design principles has never been greater. It’s with interest that I’ve observed the increasing popularity of cork as both an external, insulating wall covering and an interior aesthetic. Cork is a remarkable material, embodying what we mean when we talk about circular and regenerative design.
Harvests for many generations
Unlike most natural resources, cork harvesting doesn’t harm the tree. Once the bark is carefully stripped (for the first time once the tree is about 25 years old), a new layer begins regenerating almost immediately. This process is repeated every nine years, with cork oaks living up to 300 years. This means each tree provides harvests for many generations, making cork one of the very few materials on earth that is truly renewable. In contrast, oak trees used for hardwood may only grow 6-12 inches a year and take up to 150 years to reach full maturity. So, in a short-term project, a hotel room fit out that lasts around 7 years, it makes far better sense to use cork, than a tree that was alive and growing well before our great grandparents were born.
Superior properties that synthetic materials can only try and imitate
Found mainly across Portugal, Spain, North Africa and southern Europe, the outer bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber L), contains up to 40 million tiny air-filled cells in every cubic centimetre. This makes cork exceptionally light, elastic, insulating and durable; properties synthetic materials can only try to imitate. Offcuts and post-industrial cork are recycled, and even cork dust is burned cleanly to produce energy. This ‘closed-loop’ ethos is a model of eco-efficiency, aligning perfectly with circular design principles where resources are kept in play for as long as possible.
Sustaining landscapes and livelihoods
Whilst illegal logging destroys biodiversity, strips communities of vital hunting and foraging grounds, and erases precious carbon sinks, cork harvesting models how a resource can support biodiversity and community. Once harvested, cork oaks actually absorb three to five times more carbon than unharvested trees. In Portugal alone, cork forests capture millions of tonnes of CO₂ each year, all while stabilising fragile ecosystems and halting desertification in semi-arid landscapes. Beyond their environmental value, these forests sustain thousands of livelihoods and protect habitats for endangered species - proof that a material industry can not only thrive but also strengthen both social and ecological resilience.
As a studio, we believe the future of design depends on our ability to make choices that are both creative and responsible. Looking more deeply into where and how a material is sourced often brings with it an incredible story. It's unusual to find a material that has such a resoundingly positive regenerative story as cork, but in an extractive world, I think it serves as a reminder that balancing beauty, longevity, social and environmental responsibility is possible, so long as we take the time to research and make intelligent material choices.