While you likely know cork most from its importance and relevance in the wine industry, cork is an incredibly versatile material that is used for everything from flooring to bulletin boards and now as a textile. Despite it's light and porous texture, cork functions well to prevent evaporation and contamination. As it relates to bags, this creates a water-resistant item that is easy to clean with soap and water. In fact, it's sturdiness accompanied with those qualities creates a product that is a vegan, leather-alternative.
Cork is a sustainably-sourced material growing naturally in only two areas of the world: the Mediterranean region of Europe (producing more than 80% of the world's cork) & Northwest Africa. I personally choose to procure 100% of my cork from Portugal and Spain due to the high-quality of the textiles produced. After 5 years, I have developed relationships with the best fabric houses, so your LynnieLou Bags products are assured to provide years of enjoyment.
For those interested in HOW cork is harvested, the process is incredibly precise and doesn't harm the tree. Cork oaks are harvested every nine years, once they reach maturity. The outer bark of a cork oak's trunk and major branches is carefully stripped by hand – no mechanical stripping devices are allowed. Experienced cork strippers use a specialized cork axe to slit the outer bark and peel it away from the tree. The cork bark does regrow. The year of harvest is marked on the trunk, so each tree isn't harvested at the wrong time.
I am blessed to work with this amazing textile daily (you can probably tell that from my grin in the picture below!) I know you will enjoy your LynnieLou Bags purchases made with this truly unique product.
Your Friendly Cork Dork,
Lynn
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