Korkeria – handmade cork products
A bag made of cork?
Many people are still unsettled when they use the term “cork” in connection with fashion. One knows the cork cone or cork bottoms. But a bag of cork? In the world of Korkeria is quite normal. There are also belts, backpacks or wallets. Or how about a cork-coated Umbrella? Or a bow tie made of cork? In Switzerland, it has been difficult to to find. But the wait has now come to an end and the cork fans get their money’s worth. Korkeria offers a webshop with almost 300 handmade cork products from six different brands – from the handbag up to the writing folder! So the name is the program…
Cork-enthusiastic family business
The young company was founded in 2019 with the aim of improving the beautiful cork products from Portugal, and make it more accessible. The family business is based in Birrwil on the beautiful Lake Hallwil. A part of the family lives in Portugal, a country with a long tradition of manufacturing and processing cork. So it was only a matter of time before the cork-loving family brings the world of cork to Switzerland. But how does a cork bag actually come into being?
From bark to cork
The cork oak is an evergreen deciduous tree in the genus of oaks. Named are the powerful Cork layers of the trunk used for cork extraction. A single tree can be used during its up to 700 kilograms of cork. Regular cork extraction contributes to the fact that cork oaks naturally regenerate. So no tree is felled to win cork. The Portuguese cork oak forests (called Montados) bind around 5 million tonnes of CO2 per year. In addition to many rare plants, they also host some endangered animal species such as the Iberian lynx, the Berber deer or the imperial eagle. In Portugal, cork oaks grow on an area of 736,000 hectares, which country into one of the largest cork producers in the world. The annual harvest of 190,000 tons of cork corresponds to about 50% of world production.
In order to use cork as a textile, it is cooked after harvesting. This makes it more elastic andlexibler. After drying, the bark is cut and glued to a textile carrier material. This consists of mainly made of cotton or polyester. The cork fabric, also known as cork leather, is born and can be into cork bags and other accessories. This procedure is very complex and includes a lot of manual work, which makes cork production relatively expensive.
Cork is an all-rounder. One square centimeter consists of 40 million cells! That is why it is so adaptable. It is also lightweight, flexible, water-repellent, breathable, insulating, insulating, renewable, biodegradable and simply unmistakable.
High-quality craftsmanship from Portugal
Korkeria sells only high-quality, handmade acessoires from Portugal. Sustainability plays a role in and fair working conditions. A large part of the range was made vegan and is therefore free of animal products. The young company can not only be found online, but also in various monthly and Christmas markets in the region. There, customers can view and feel the products . After all, Cork fascinates not only with its optics, but also with its feel. High quality processed cork leather is supple and soft. And due to the natural structures of the cork bark, every product is unique!
