All About Cork

When I first saw the itinerary for a visit to a cork factory near Evora, Portugal, I was a bit apprehensive. Touring the production of such a common item seemed unexciting. However, the tour turned my expectations around.

Led by David Caeiro, the grandson of Corticarte - Arte em Cortica's founders, it provided an insightful education on cork making. We explored the meticulous process of hand-harvesting cork from cork oak trees, known as "Sobreiro" in Portuguese. These trees require 25 years to mature before skillfully harvesting layers of the tree bark for various products. The trees aren't cut down and can be re-harvested every nine years across their 270-year lifespan. Witnessing the transformation from raw cork to exquisite items like wine stoppers, bags, bowls, lamps, shoes, jewelry, and insulation materials was enlightening.

Exiting the factory, I had a newfound appreciation and affection for this remarkable material. The humorous presentation by David was a bonus. He was hilarious throughout his presentation. The seemingly unremarkable cork became a source of entertainment, evoking our group with tears of laughter.Read more