Cork, answered straight.
What cork actually does, what it does not do, and where we would tell you to use something else. We make cork for a living, and these pages are written to be useful before they are persuasive.
What are cork's natural properties?
Cork is light, compressible and springy, slow to pass heat and highly resistant to liquids, because it is a honeycomb of about 40 million sealed, gas-filled cells per cubic centimetre lined with suberin. It is the bark of the cork oak, stripped by hand no more often than every nine years, and the tree is never felled.
Does cork get slippery when wet?
No, and it is worth being precise about this, because cork does the opposite of what most materials do. Cork's cell walls are about 53% suberin, a waxy water-repelling polyester, and cork's coefficient of friction rises as the surface gets damp. Rubber, PVC and TPE all lose grip when wet. Cork gains it.
Does water damage cork?
No. Cork's cells are sealed by suberin, which is why a wine stopper sits in liquid for decades without rotting. Cork does not waterlog, does not rot and holds its shape in humidity. What water damages is what cork is stuck to or sealed with, the adhesive, the backing board or the finish, and almost every warning you will read about cork and water is really a warning about cork FLOORING.
How do you clean cork?
Water and a drop of mild soap, wiped on and wiped off. That is the whole method. Cork is naturally antimicrobial, so it does not need a strong cleaner to stay hygienic, and the strong cleaners are exactly what damages it.
What is the difference between virgin, agglomerated and carbonised cork?
Three forms, and they are not interchangeable. Virgin cork is cut straight from the plank with its cells intact, and it is what a wine stopper is. Agglomerated cork is granules bound with a resin and moulded, and it is what most cork products are, including nearly everything Green Haven makes. Carbonised cork is granules expanded by steam and bound by cork's own resin with no added adhesive, and it is an insulation board.
Which branding method should I choose for a logo on cork?
Laser engraving if your logo is a single shape and you want it permanent, screen printing if it is bold and flat and you want a specific solid colour, and DTF if it has more than one colour or a gradient. Laser and screen cost the same, so the choice is about what suits the artwork rather than what is cheapest.
Why does cork feel warm to the touch?
Because it hardly draws any heat out of your hand. Cork is a closed-cell honeycomb that is roughly 90% trapped gas by volume, and its thermal conductivity is only about 0.045 W/m·K (expanded cork insulation board measures about 0.037 to 0.040). Stone, tile and metal pull warmth from your skin quickly and register as cold. Cork does not, so it reads as warm at the same room temperature.
Is cork better than wood, acrylic or rubber for coasters?
Yes for most bar and cafe use, and the reason is narrow rather than general. A coaster spends its life under a cold glass in a ring of condensation, and cork is the one common coaster material whose grip improves when it is damp. Acrylic and stone get slippery instead. What cork gives up is that it dents under a sharp point load and fades in strong sun.
How is cork harvested?
By stripping the bark from a living tree by hand, roughly every nine years. The cork oak, Quercus suber, is never felled to produce cork. A tree gives its first usable harvest at about 25 years old and keeps producing for more than 150 years, regrowing its bark between each one.
How many cork wall panels do I need per square metre?
5.56 panels per square metre. Each CORKE panel is 600 x 300 mm, which is 0.18 square metres, so the calculation is your wall area divided by 0.18. Add roughly 10% on top for cuts and offcuts at edges and around switches, as you would with any tile.
Is a cork yoga mat better than rubber, PVC or TPE?
Yes if you sweat, and that is the whole case. Cork grips harder as it gets damp, so a sweating hand holds better than a dry one. PVC and TPE rely on a tacky surface, and a film of sweat sits between the hand and that surface and defeats it. In exchange cork is firmer underfoot and heavier to carry.
Why we publish the limits too
Most cork suppliers publish what cork is good at. The more useful half is where it stops, and it is much harder to find. Strong sun fades cork unevenly. It dents under a stiletto heel. A buyer who knows that before ordering is a buyer who is happy with what arrives.
It cuts the other way too. We used to repeat that cork and water do not mix, because almost everyone does. It is not true of the material, and we have written out why.
Who is telling you this
Green Haven by 9Cork, a Kapson Globex company, is a cork manufacturer and exporter. We make our products in-house in India from cork sourced from an FSC-certified supplier, and ship worldwide to hotels, restaurants, brands and importers. Made in India.
ISO 9001:2015 certified. Certificate QMS/6DDF/0926, issued to Kapson Globex by Quality Control Certification, valid to 2 September 2029. Scope: Design, Manufacturing and Supply of HoReCa Tableware, Corporate Gifting Products, Cork Wall Panels, Yoga & Wellness Products, Trophies & Awards, and Cork Stoppers & Closures. That is a certification about how the business is run.
That matters here for one reason only: we are describing a material we make rather than one we read about. If you want a price instead of an explanation, the coaster packs are priced and delivered, or talk to us about anything bespoke.