At Cork and Thread I use cork leather, or cork fabric, for most of my patterns. But what is cork leather? Cork leather is a fabric much like leather in texture and durability. However, it is a vegan, eco-friendly version. Cork leather is water resistant, stain resistant and scratch proof. Not to mention hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, lightweight, and flame retardant.
How cork is made
Cork leather is a sustainable material made from the bark of a cork oak tree. Cork oak trees are found primarily in the West Mediterranean Basin, the largest abundance being in Portugal. Once the tree has reached 20 years of age, the bark is stripped from the tree by hand by a highly trained harvester. The process does not harm the tree but actually is beneficial for it. Once the bark is stripped, the tree is able to absorb about five times more carbon dioxide, helping to reduce greenhouse gases. The bark regenerates and will not be harvested again for 8-10 years. It is a truly eco-conscience and sustainable resource.
Once the bark is harvested it dries for about six months then is boiled in water (no chemicals!) to expand the cells to make it material easier to work with and give it more elasticity. The cork is pressed into blocks and shaved into thin sheets. Those
sheets can be dyed, ideally with vegetable dye, before a backing fabric, typically cotton or a cotton/poly blend, is attached to the cork sheets. This process does not require the use of glue because cork contains suberin, which acts as a natural adhesive. Beautiful and fun prints are becoming more and more available in cork leather as producers are able to print designs on the solid dyed fabric.
Finished piece
When the fabric is complete, it is a beautiful piece of cork leather ready to be fashioned into a multitude of products. For use in handbags and wallets, it's lightweight softness and durability are the best qualities. To keep you cork leather looking nice, just use a little soap and water to wipe it clean.