Hawaiian Koa Bead and Cork Necklace

Hawaiian Koa Bead and Cork Necklace Handmade with…

3mm Premium Natural Cork
Koa Wood Bead from Hawaii set in Sterling Silver
Reliable Magnetic Ball Clasp
Length:  18″
Other lengths available upon request.  Email request to robert@corktreedesigns.com

The Cork Tree – An Amazing Tree in the Plant Kingdom

Did you know that all cork is bark?  Did you know that the cork bark is from the cork tree?  Most cork is grown and supplied from Portugal.  Portugal is our only supplier of cork fabric and cork rope.  Watch the cork trees being harvested in Portugal – click here.  Cork bark is eco-friendly, sustainable, renewable, lightweight, and water proof.

The Eco-Friendly Cork Tree

The cork tree it is one of the most highly renewable and eco-friendly resources on the planet. In fact, harvesting the cork tree helps fight global warming.  How you ask?  All trees are eco-friendly because of respiration.  Tree respiration is the process of a tree taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. The amount of carbon dioxide being held by the tree is called carbon sequestration.  The trees sequesters carbon dioxide and stores it in their trunks, branches, leaves, roots, and bark.

The Bark of the Cork Oak Tree

Yes, the cork tree is in the family of oak trees.  There are over 600 species of the the genus Quercus oak.  The dead outer layer of bark of the cork oak tree or Quercus (oak) suber (cork) is amazing and remarkable. It is remarkable because the bark is unique throughout the plant kingdom.  The tree is not killed by the harvest.  The harvest does not damage the tree. The harvesting of the bark from the tree allows new bark to grow in its place. Each tree  is a renewable source of raw material. In fact each piece of cork bark is unique.

Cork Fabric

Because of the unique properties of the cork bark,  the cork fabrics are vegan, stain-resistant, water resistant, durable, and lightweight.  The fabrics are silky soft and easy to clean.  Just use water to clean your cork product.  If needed, add a little bit of mild soap.  You will be amazed at how easy restoring your cork to it’s original appearance.

Our Customer

We make our products for the environmentally conscious person.  Yet, many or our customers buy our products for their natural beauty, because they attractive, lightweight, and functional.  Purchasing one or more of our cork products supports many people in Portugal.   Purchasing a cork purse or cork jewelry also supports the environment.  The trees are one of the most important filters around the world.  You can rest-assured, a cork handbag is as durable as a leather bag.  And as you now know, cork is good for the environment.  Cork Tree Designs continues to provide our customers with the highest quality products, for this reason, we are the #1 supplier of cork products in the United States.

The Life of a Cork Tree

The first cork bark harvest occurs approximately after 20 to 25 years. The cork tree fully regenerates its bark in 9 year, and the tree will live about 200 years.  Two new saplings are planted when the tree dies. Planting two saplings to replace one dead tree ensures the cork forest continues to flourish and expand.

The cork oak tree also reproduces off-springs naturally by dropping acorns that seed themselves and mature into productive trees.  The cork trees are prevalent in the southern region of Portugal known as the Algarve.  They harvest the bark in the dry summer months because removing the bark is easier when it is dry.  The dry months in Portugal are June, July, and August.

Thank you for purchasing the koa bead and cork necklace.  We appreciate your business and helping us to grow our message of eco-friendly and sustainable products.