Giving Programs
CLESIGN's mission is not just about making great, eco-friendly yoga products, but about giving back – to the earth and to the community.
Our Forests are Disappearing. We need your help to plant trees and restore forests around the globe. Donate today.
You buy a Mat or Towel we will plant a tree to donation has a direct impact on the earth and lives of the people who need it most. By helping us plant trees you give families the ability to transition from destructive farming techniques to a Forest Garden system that not only sustains and empowers them but changes their lives forever.
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Insulation
Cork is an excellent thermal, acoustic and vibration insulator. In relation to wine, the insulating properties of cork contribute to cork stoppers being the best protection against variations in temperature.
Biodegradable, recyclable and renewable
Cork is a natural raw material that is 100% biodegradable, recyclable and renewable. A recycled cork stopper is never used to manufacture a new stopper, but its recycling has endless uses, from materials for construction, fashion, sport, art, the aeronautics industry, among others.
100% sustainable material
The cork used in our yoga products is a 100% renewable and recyclable material that is obtained through one of the most environmentally friendly harvesting methods in the world.
What is cork and where is it grown?
Cork is the outer bark of the Cork Oak Tree which grows in the Mediterranean area. Cork trees are the only tree in the world that regenerates stripped bark. Approximately 6.6 million acres of cork forest extend across Portugal, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia and France. These oak forests support one of the world's highest levels of forest biodiversity, second only to the Amazonian Rainforest.
Is cork an endangered natural resource?
No. The extraction of cork is a controlled process and does not required the cork oaks to be felled - on the contrary, it contributes to their regeneration. It is the cork industry which makes the continuity of the cork oak forest viable, by contributing to the maintenance of forests and the populations that depend on them. A recent estimate forecasts that only in Portugal, where there is the world's largest cork oak forest area, shall the harvestable cork be enough to meet market demand for the next 100 years.
What are the main characteristics of cork?
Lightness
Cork is a very light raw material, weighing just 0.16 grams per cubic centimetre, and can float.
Flexibility/compressibility
Each cork stopper is made up of around 800 million watertight cells. Among them is a gaseous mixture which allows it to be compressed to around half its thickness, without losing any flexibility, and to be decompressed and return to its original shape. This is what is called an elastic memory. Cork is the only solid which when compressed on one side, does not increase in volume on the other. This feature enables it to adapt to variations in temperature and pressure, without compromising its integrity as a stopper.
Can cork be used to produce energy?
Yes. Cork dust can be used in the cogeneration of electricity, making a valuable contribution to improving energy efficiency. Amorim meets over 60% of its energy needs by using cork dust (biomass), which is a CO2 neutral source of energy.
Due to the lightness and acoustic and thermal insulation capacity of cork, it is also used in wind turbines.
PRODUCTION OF NATURAL RUBBER
Growing natural rubber involves many steps, and numerous scientific disciplines to be merged together to provide a cohesive operation and plan.
Planting: Seeds are planted and grow for between 12-18 months before being suitable for grafting, after which they are removed from a nursery environment and planted on a plantation. The bud quickly grows but the tree must be left to mature for between 6-7 years.
Tapping: Harvesters shave off a bit of bark, and then notch a line in the revealed bark to a depth of about 1/3” deep. The milky white liquid, latex, drips from the cut vessels and then flows down the barkless patch, where it is collected, typically in a cut mounted to the tree. This tapping continues on alternating days, with new patches being cut just below the prior one until the tapping is about a foot from the base of the tree. Once that side of the tree is tapped out, a repeat effort is done on the other side of the tree.
