Commfloor is growing...with Cork!

Dec 5, 20224 min read

20 years ago I used to sell cork flooring in New Zealand. Back then it was a low-cost flooring option with limited design variables, yet it ticked boxes being a sustainable and eco-friendly solution. Fast forward to modern times and cork has evolved drastically. With options now spanning across floors and walls in a wide variety of contemporary designs and colours. Modern cork finishes now come available in floating click floors, decorative wall tiles, wallpapers or products such as stools, baths and basins to name a few.

Cork has quite literally grown into a product of the future! Not convinced? See below...

As the world focuses more on cradle-to-cradle products and sustainable materials, I set out to find the best cork alternatives to add to Commfloors' portfolio. Finally, my search to bring the creative industry the latest in cork floors and walls is over...

Commfloor is proud to announce that we have partnered with one of the largest cork manufacturers on the planet to bring the design community something truly unique, edgy, and above all, sustainable.

Introducing GRANORTE, a Portuguese family company founded in 1972.

GRANORTE has established itself as a producer of high-quality and environmentally responsible cork coverings company.

Cork - an entirely renewable source

First used centuries ago as wine stoppers and fishing equipment, cork has developed into a key material in many industries including construction, high-technology, sports, interior design and even fashion or cosmetics.

Cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree, which grows mainly in the Mediterranean region of the world.

This tree has a life span of about 200 years. Each cork tree must be 20 to 25 years old before it can provide its first harvest of cork. After extracting the cork, a new layer starts generating and nine years have to pass before a new harvest can occur.

The cork harvesting process is done sustainably and does not harm the tree. Cork trees are never cut down or removed without strong government intervention prohibiting this activity. Portugal, which produces more than 50% of the world's cork, has been particularly careful with this resource. The first Portuguese regulations protecting cork oak trees date to the 13th century.

With the increasing concern for the environment, the cork oak remains the only tree whose bark can regenerate itself after harvest leaving the tree unharmed. It is a renewable, environmentally friendly resource.

Furthermore, the cork oak tree has the remarkable capacity to retain carbon and the process of debarking the tree enables it to sequester three to five times more carbon than when unharvested. A recent study indicated that Portuguese cork forests can absorb 4.8 million tons of carbon each year. Mediterranean cork forests can absorb over 14 million tons of carbon annually.

The cork industry itself is truly eco-efficient. All cork is used, and not one gram of cork is wasted. Cork by-products are used in different products i.e. flooring, decorative items, automobile industry... and recycling (post-industrial and post-consumer) is a common practice. Even cork dust is used to generate energy.

Cork usages

In its several forms - natural, granulated or agglomerated - cork's attributes cannot be found

in any other single source, making it superior to many synthetic substitutes and an essential element for many purposes.

Commfloor, Granorte Cork, Rusticork | Bark, Bluemoon

Cork can be adapted to various product specifications and techniques, and many of its uses may be invisible to our eyes.

Its applications include, but are not limited to, sealing, insulation, vibration control, sound dampening, gaskets, flotation, energy conservation and many others.

Engineers, architects, builders, scientists, fashion designers, interior designers and manufacturers of housewares, sporting goods and leisure products select cork because it is the best material for their unique and demanding applications.

Credentials

As a member of WWF’s GFT - Global Forest & Trade Network and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), GRANORTE believes in a more sustainable built environment.

They promote green building and commitment to the use of cork and wood from sustainable sources, contributing to giving people better, brighter and healthier spaces to live, work and play.

Through the partnership with the non-profit charity organization Habitat for Humanity, GRANORTE is donating cork flooring material to every new home built by HFH in Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions. HFH seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action worldwide.

Certified: ISO 9001, Systecode, FSC® (C044061)

FSC-certified wood and/or cork components.

Products are all externally tested against their VOC and formaldehyde content.

Air quality A+, GreenGuard Gold, CE.

Packaging:

Primary - Recycled and recyclable paper and cardboard.

Secondary - Recycled and recyclable plastic materials; Wood.

Commfloor & Granortes' shared ethos

We believe that corporate responsibility and sustainability deliver added value to our clients and end users.

Our philosophy is to challenge what has become habitual and to never be satisfied with anything less than the best. We seek perfection every day and ensure that our products consistently meet or exceed the requirements and expectations of our customers.

We aim to fascinate people, design, create and supply stunning products that capture the imagination and inspire beautiful and eco-friendly interiors.

With Granorte Cork, Commfloor endeavours to deliver the creative industry the very best in cork floating tiles, glue-down tiles, designer wall tiles and fabrics.

If you wish to see this incredible portfolio of tactile products in person, please reach out, we'd love to show you! https://www.commfloor.uk/contact

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