Corticeira Viking - Why Cork?

Eco-friendly Material

Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber L). It is a 100% natural raw material, meaning 100% reusable and 100% recyclable, extracted from cork oaks without harming the environment and without damaging the trees.

Once processed, into stoppers for example, cork can re-enter the production process. The granules resulting from this process can be used as a huge variety of products, such as hot pads, yoga blocks, lamps or toys.

Chemical composition of cork

Cork is composed of:

• 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.

Properties

EXCELLENT THERMAL AND ACOUSTIC INSULATOR

The 40 million cells in each cubic centimeter of cork act as a real decibel absorber, making it an excellent sound and vibration insulator. Its molecular structure allows it to absorb heat and retain it for a long period of time.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Almost over 50% of its volume is air, which makes it very light.

SLOW BURNING

The slow combustion of cork makes it a natural fire retardant and a kind of barrier against fires. Cork burns without a flame and does not emit toxic gases during combustion.

ELASTIC AND COMPRESSIBLE

It can be compressed to around half its thickness without losing any flexibility, and it decompresses, recovering its initial shape and volume, as soon as it ceases to be compressed. This flexibility is given by its airtight cells containing a gas mixture similar to air. It is the only solid that when compressed on one side does not increase in volume on the other axis. It is able to adapt to variations in temperature and pressure without suffering variations, due to its elasticity.

IMPERMEABLE TO LIQUIDS AND GASES

It is totally impermeable to liquids and practically impermeable to gases, thanks to the suberin and cerin present in the composition of cork cells. Its resistance to moisture allows it to grow old without deteriorating.

HYPOALLERGENIC

Because cork does not absorb dust, it helps protect against allergies and does not pose a risk to asthma sufferers.