Cork putting down roots in the vegan fashion world

Phloem.market
Jul 20, 2017 · 4 min read

Wineries have used cork to seal bottles for centuries. But the rise of aluminum and plastic wine stoppers means cork may soon be more likely to appear in your new handbag or wallet than in that chardonnay you enjoyed with dinner last weekend.

Vegan fashion designers have embraced cork for the same reasons as Dom Pierre Pérignon did in the mid-17thcentury. Pérignon, the French monk whose name would become synonymous with high-quality champagne, introduced cork as an alternative to the stoppers used at the time — which were made from hemp and olive oil and constantly popped out of the bottles. Cork, as Pérignon understood, was light, impermeable and moisture-resistant.

Martha Vainer, founder of Cork by Design, came across the material six years ago by what she calls “a nice accident”. She was traveling through Portugal, where about half of all the world’s cork is produced, and bought a handbag to bring back with her to Canada. Her friends couldn’t believe the bag was made from cork. Vainer, who grew up in Mexico and who as a child had often visited her grandfather’s factory for leather handbags and wallets, realized immediately the potential of this cruelty-free material.

Vainer designs all her items, and Portuguese artisans take care of the manufacturing. Originally, she wanted to manufacture closer to home in Vancouver, but she soon understood that Portugal, with its proud cork tradition, was the best option. “It has to be very specialized, the handling of the cork. Especially when you’re dealing with cork fabric, if you go to the cheaper end (in terms) of quality, the cork will break,” she explains.

Cork oaks are harvested every nine to 12 years for their bark, which is then steamed to remove impurities and make it more malleable. Afterward, it is cut into very thin slices to become the fabric used in fashion items. According to Vainer, it is “as durable or more durable” than leather.

Left: A Portuguese artisan working on one of Cork by Design’s items; Right: Cork is extremely versatile

“You can also clean it with regular soap and water without any problems at all,” she says. “The only things that won’t come off are if you put ink from a pen. If it’s oil-based, that obviously won’t come off — as would be the case for leather. If you use permanent marker, obviously it won’t come off. But regular dirt, once it has been cleaned with soap and water and it’s dry, it looks as if you just bought the item brand new.”

Another advantage is its weight. “When you buy a regular leather handbag, before you even put anything in it, it’s already heavy. A cork bag is super light, so it’s good for travel, good for people who have problems with their back.”

Not only is cork vegan, but it would surely be a contender for the world’s most sustainable material. Portugal has 1.6 million acres of cork forest, and neighboring Spain an additional 1.2 million acres. A cork oak’s average life expectancy is about 200 years. When harvested, a typical tree yields around 100 lb (45 kg) of bark. The Whistler Tree, named for the songbirds that reside in it, has been producing cork every nine years since 1820. In 1991, it yielded a world record 2,645 lb of bark, the equivalent of more than 100,000 individual wine corks.

Cork’s malleability makes it an extremely versatile material. Cork by Design uses it to produce handbags, shoulder bags, computer bags and lightweight men’s wallets. BENT&BREE, another brand that appears on Phloem.market, uses cork in bags, kids’ shoes, and bracelets.

Cork by Design’s Computer Messenger Bag (l) and Multi-Look Women’s Stylish bag (r)

While some fashion designers enjoy experimenting with a variety of materials, cork has a habit of growing on some people. Vainer doesn’t rule out using other materials in future, but says: “Right now I’m concentrating and focusing on cork, I know exactly what works, and I like the material, it’s beautiful, it lasts, it’s perfect. And it’s different. Everybody, when they see and touch the actual piece, they cannot believe it.”

View selection of beautiful cork items on Phloem.market


Originally published at phloem.market on July 13, 2017.

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