Sustainability

Our products are made from natural cork, harvested from trees grown in well-managed cork oak forests. These unique environments are not only essential carbon sinks, but also defenders in the fight against erosion and desertification, and supporters of fragile biodiverse ecosystems.

The Montado is a unique agroforestry system in southern Portugal. Dominated by cork and holm oak trees, it performs a vital role in mitigating global warming. Covering over 1 million hectares, the Montado makes a substantial contribution to carbon capture, storing up to 73 tons of carbon per hectare. Cork oak forests in Portugal alone are estimated to absorb around 5.8 million tonnes of CO2 annually, while the cork oaks of the entire western Mediterranean basin capture a remarkable 14 million tonnes.

Recork flooring already has an exceptionally low carbon footprint of just 0.108 kg CO2eq/m2. But when you factor in carbon sequestered by the cork oak trees of the Portuguese Montado, that figure can drop to a remarkable -193 kg CO2eq/m2.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the Montado is “one of the best examples in the Mediterranean for balancing conservation and development for the benefit of people and nature”.

In addition to absorbing huge amounts of CO2, the Montado helps preserve the natural environment. Its canopy creates a microclimate to limit summer and winter excesses and allow longer growth of herbaceous vegetation. Cork oak trees regulate the water cycle by allowing rainwater to infiltrate and replenish groundwater. They help soil conservation by forming a humus top layer, as well as making nutrients from deep in the soil available to vegetation. The Montado protects against erosion and acts as a barrier against desertification.

In fact, cork oaks intercept 26.7% of the total rainfall on the Montado, reducing runoff and preventing soil erosion.

The Montado is a vital biodiverse ecosystem, just like Amazonia, the African Savanna and Borneo. It includes wildlife, grasslands and diverse flora, and provides a natural habitat for over 200 animal species and 130 plant species. Wildlife supported by the Montado includes rare and endangered species such as the Iberian lynx, the Iberian imperial eagle, the black vulture, the black stork and the Barbary stag. By supporting cork production in the Montado, Recork helps maintain this fragile and naturally biodiverse ecosystem.

At the start of the 21st century, for instance, only 94 Iberian lynx survived in the wild. Now, thanks to wide ranging conservation measures, the population of one of the rarest wild cat species in the world has increased to 1,668 animals.