A line of products made of cork is paving the way for environment-friendly and sustainable marketable items.
The current state of the world has prompted various efforts from different sectors to work towards the goal to save the environment. While the most popular examples are clean-up drives and tree-planting activities, the product design field is taking strides towards supplying and manufacturing products that are sustainable and eco-friendly.
Achieving sustainability can come in many forms, such as energy-saving methods or even the materials used in production. As the world is currently facing a crisis with its natural resources, it is the most essential for product designers to come forward with various designs to aid in preserving the environment and avoiding to cause toxicity.
Cork is one of the most versatile materials that can be used for different products. Yes, it is more than just a wine stopper. It can also be used as a rigid material that can be carved into or shaped into various items. In Europe, cork is also being used for cricket balls and as a flooring material.
The best feature of cork is its sustainability as a raw material. Cork is harvested from the bark of Quercus suber, more popularly known as the cork oak. The medium-sized evergreen tree can live for up to 300 years. Even though its bark is occasionally being harvested to make cork, there are no damages on the trees. After the cork has been manually harvested from the tree barks, it will grow back in a period of nine to 12 years.
To celebrate the sustainability of cork, several designers have come together with products that highlight the material's sustainability and versatility.
Lukas Salley has designed power tools with cork handgrips. This includes a wireless hand drill and a jigsaw that is wireless as well. The set of power tools is easy on both the eyes and the hands.
Saburo Sakata, on the other hand, used the concept of the message in the bottle for his pen drive. That's right, a pen drive poking out of a cork that fits perfectly in a tiny bottle is a great way to keep memories.
Mireia Rius designed Volto, a dual container that can hold salt in one end and pepper on the other. Each end is fitted with cork stops that are cut at an angle, making it possible for the user to either close or open each compartment.
Estudio Diario designed Tarros, a container that features a combination of pottery, cork, and wood. The vessel is made of clay with a lid made of cork for a tight seal, finished off with a wooden handle.
Two designers came up with KORK, which is a combination of cork and metal. Although the product hit the market several years ago, its versatile and modular-like design define its timelessness.
Sofia Almqvist and Carl Cyren, students from Industrial Design of Konstfack, came up with a bicycle saddle made of cork. This takes bicycle riding further on the eco-friendly scale. Although the design did not reach production, the study done by the duo is truly inspiring.
Domitalia designed Bouchon stools, which have a steel frame that holds a chunk of over-sized cork for its seating. The stool comes in counter height and bar height.
Brian Linton came up with an eco-friendly shoe called the Jasper Wool Eco Chukka. Aside from its supportive midsole made of ReCork, Recycled Cork, the shoe also has an insole made of algae and stitching thread made of natural rice rubber.
INNGAGE created a wood stove that is strategically wrapped in cork, reassuring the users of the product that they can safely touch the stove. The designers made sure that there is a separation from the stove and the cork so that the cork would not darken over time.
Morten Husum Nielsen presented OAK OAK, a child's chair which doubles as storage. The frame is made of wood, and the compartment is made of cork. When the lid is off, the compartment is revealed. When the lid is on, it is a comfortable child's chair.
