About our products
The Harvesting of cork
The first step is harvesting the bark from the cork oak tree.
Cork oaks are harvested every nine years, once they reach maturity. It doesn't harm the tree, and the cork bark regrows.
In fact, harvested cork trees absorb 3-5 times more CO2 than non-harvested trees. Cork oak trees in Portugal alone help offset 10 million tons of carbon every year. Cork harvesting is an environmentally friendly process during which not a single tree is cut down.
After the workers use machetes and bars to properly harvest the cork oak trees, the material is taken to the manufacturer’s facilities, where the right equipment is in place. The cork bark, our raw material, is introduced in containers with boiling water. Boiling water alters the cell structure of cork, expanding them to create a more manageable material. This way, our professionals have more freedom to treat the cork as needed. It’s important to mention that only water is used during the boiling process; no chemicals like in the case of leather.
The workers now proceed to shave the boiled cork until they get very thin sheets. After that, a cotton-based backing is added to the sheets in order to increase durability. Several layers of cork sheets are used during this step, something we can notice in the final appearance of our sneakers.
Designing process
It all started with an idea. A raw sketch of a simplistic sneaker made of cork. A lot of brainstorm sessions, a lot of coffee, a lot of advise and a little sleep.
The idea became more concrete and the sketches were getting better, it was time for the next step, designing the prototype. We came in contact with a very experienced designer who was able to meet all of our requests. Together we were able to make our first prototype, ready to bring to Portugal and almost ready to produce.
The production
We’re proud to have partnered with a small family owned factory in Portugal. They maintain an extremely high standard of ethics, pay their employees fairly, and have lots of years of experience.
Our factory gives maximum priority to quality work over quantity. They essentially produce products that stand out for the premium excellence of raw materials, the handcrafting production processes and the finishing touches with loads of care to maintain a perfect final product.
Most of our materials find their origin in Portugal and don't have to be shipped from the other side of the world. Sustainability and working ethics are of paramount importance to us.
The final product
Our sneakers are 100% vegan and handmade in a small well known factory in Portugal. Our purpose is to show you, that you don't have to compromise on style or comfort when leather is replaced by non-animal materials.
We make simplistic sneakers of very high quality for all occasions. We work with a minimalistic philosophy and create timeless essentials.
We do not compromise on style. We do not compromise on comfort. And we do not compromise on image, although we use non-animal materials. We set the new standard.