Why Cork

SLOW FASHION = SUSTAINABILITY

The fashion market is evaluated at several trillion dollars. Fashion is one of the world’s most polluting industries and how we choose to spend money has a significant impact on our health, people and the planet.

“Do good, feel good.”

Tiradia is an alternative company that offers natural, ethically handcrafted lifestyle products made from the highest quality natural cork. We want consumers to feel good about their purchases and, in the process, help them minimize their carbon footprint. On the journey to achieve our mission, our responsibility is to educate consumers on how better options like cork can support a sustainable lifestyle.

WHY CORK

The cork tree is the most abundant tree found in Portugal, which is responsible for producing roughly half of the world’s cork each year. Cork trees can live over 200 years, only harvested once they reach maturity and extracted up to 20 - 30 times throughout their lifetime. Cork is incredibly sustainable. When the cork is harvested the trees are not cut down, instead their bark is carefully stripped away by hand in a skilled trade that's passed down over generations. It takes nine years for the bark to grow back thick enough to be harvested again. After harvest, as the trees begin to grow back their bark, they consume up to five times more carbon from the atmosphere. 

CORK PROPERTIES

Cork is not just incredible for its eco friendly, renewable credentials:

Naturally Sourced Materials
Cork comes from the bark of the cork tree known as Quercus Suber or in Portuguese, sobreiros.

Antimicrobial 
Cork is naturally resistant to bacteria which is great for fighting germs. Products made from cork are a great option for those who suffer from allergies as it is resistant to mold and mildew.

Waterproof
Cork is naturally water resistant due to a substance known as suberin. This is why cork has been an obvious choice for wine bottles for centuries.

Lightweight
Due to cork’s cellular structure and low density it is super lightweight, about 5X lighter than water, making it buoyant.  

Durable
Cork is a very durable material making it a great option for housewares and accessories and an easy replacement to leather goods.

Sustainably Sourced Materials
Since cork is harvested by hand, the extraction process is delicate and respectful to the cork tree. Cork trees are not cut down the way that other trees are cut down for paper goods. Instead, the cork regenerates on the trunk of the tree for repeated extractions every 9 years.

Vegan
No animals are harmed during the extraction of cork or in the making of our products! Finished cork material has a soft leathery feel without the devastating effects of production.

Biodegradable
As cork is naturally sourced, it is organic and therefore biodegradable and compostable, like other plant matter.