AS a floor that’s natural and renewable, cork is a sustainable choice. Yet, there’s much more to cork’s green story.

Granorte manufactures cork floors and other products in Portugal, where it’s reportedly been finding new ways to use the waste cork from wine stopper production since 1972. The cork used in Granorte’s flooring ranges are said by the company to be originally harvested from the bark of trees in Portugal’s protected forests.

Portugal produces about 50% of the world’s cork supply and its forests are strictly protected by the government. In fact, the first regulations protecting the country’s cork forests is said to date back to the 13th century.

This strict protection, which includes government approval for the removal of trees, ensures Granorte cork floors come from a sustainable natural resource. These forests also lock in carbon, with a recent study showing Portuguese cork forests reportedly absorbs 4.8m tonnes of carbon each year.

The company says: ‘Unlike wood, cork is harvested from the bark of the tree and is renewed after nine years for the lifecycle of the tree, which can be over 200 years. This makes cork a rapidly renewable natural resource, yet by the time it reaches Granorte, it’s also a post-industrial recycled material, coming as the waste of the wine stopper industry.’

The cork industry is described as ‘highly efficient’ in its raw material use with every gram used including cork dust which is harnessed as a green energy source.

The company adds: ’Granorte takes this natural material and manufactures a several highly sustainable flooring options. In its purest form – the glue-down tiles of tradition – makes a Granorte floor made from 90% recycled and rapidly renewable natural resources. There are few other floors suitable for commercial use that have this status. With its engineered-floating floors using Uniclic, Granorte achieves up to 80% renewable natural materials status.’

Granorte’s range of cork flooring is said to provide commercial interiors with various sustainable choices, backed by high levels of UK stock.
01952 443555
www.granorte.co.uk