Materials

Cork is a very genuine, natural material which has been providing solutions for more than 4.500 years. We source our cork from the Alentejo area in the south of Portugal where the harvest is a long traditional handcraft and is passed on from generation to generation. Hand in hand with our supplier we never stop searching for better and cleaner solutions.

Cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree, after extracting the cork a new layer starts generating and 9 years have to pass until a new harvest can take place. That is made by highly skilled workers without harming the tree, which is never cut down or removed. The cork oak tree has also a remarkable capacity to retain carbon, that makes cork a naturally sustainable product and a 100% renewable resource.

Cork fabric is made by adhering thin layers of cork to various backings (the most common being a cotton/polyester blend) and then being coated with a protective product. The backing weight and type depends on the end use for the cork. We work with natural patterns but it’s also possible to color the cork fabrics, creating a wide range of combinations.

By nature cork has many qualities, which other materials only acquire through complex processing. It is water-resistant, hypoallergenic, recyclable and exceptionally easy to maintain.
A damp cloth, and a little liquid soap is all you need to keep it looking great. Wipe off any excess soap and allow to dry naturally. Cork is a natural product and therefore it responds to its environment. Sometimes it is darkening with prolonged use and skin contact.

For more information about cork and environment, biodiversity as well as many other information, click  HERE

While salmon leather is deeply rooted in a culture thousands of years old, it is also a modern product that embraces a socially responsible approach. Our leather is produced in a thoroughly modern facility in Bavaria, Germany, in strict accordance with the principles of ecological sustainability and environmental friendliness. It was a new idea, but the inspiration proved to be centuries old: the salmon skin tanning techniques and traditions of the Eastern Siberian Nanai people, who have fished salmon on the Amur river for thousands of years. Working directly with the Nanai people, our supplier learned not only their tanning methods, but gained an appreciation for their philosophy of harmony between man and nature

Their holistic approach begins with the salmon themselves, which are raised on certified organic farms in Ireland in compliance with animal welfare standards. Since the skins are a natural by-product of the salmon industry, the fish are not specifically bred for their skins. Instead of using harmful chemicals in the tanning process, they use a biodegradable substitute so there is no chrome and no heavy metals being used. In fact, it’s a 100% chrome-free tanning process. This process ensures that the natural structure of the salmon skin is preserved.

Traditional tanning techniques, combined with innovative, intricate technologies and stringent quality controls assure that the leather retains its quality, regardless of the salmon skin type or color. With an appearance quite similar to snakeskin, our leather is made from organically farmed salmon skin.

Our salmon leather is water-repellent, biodegradable and exceptionally easy to maintain. A dry cloth or a soft brush is all you need to keep it looking great. Fish skin is a natural product and therefore responds to its environment; sometimes darkening with prolonged use and skin contact.

Inspired by the abundance of natural resources, Carmen Hijosa the creator of Piñatex^®sought to create a new, non-woven textile that could be commercially produced, provide positive social and economic impact and maintain a low environmental footprint throughout its life cycle.

Piñatex^® is an innovative natural textile made from pineapple leaf fibre. The leaves are the byproduct of existing agriculture, and their use creates an additional income stream for farming communities. No extra land, water, fertilizer or pesticides are required to produce them. No pineapple is harmed in the making of Piñatex.

The long fibres are extracted through a process called decortication, which is done at the plantation by the farming community. Ananas Anam has developed the first automated decorticating machine to assist with this process, allowing farmers to utilise greater quantities of their waste leaves. Once the leaves have been stripped of fibre the leftover biomass can be used as a nutrient-rich natural fertiliser or a biofuel, so nothing is wasted. The fibres then get degummed and undergo an industrial process to become a non-woven mesh, which forms the base of Piñatex^®. The rolls of non-woven mesh are then transported to Spain for specialized finishing.

Piñatex^® is a natural, sustainably-sourced, cruelty free material. It is strong, breathable, soft, light, flexible, water resistant and absolutely easy to maintain. It is easy to clean by hand with a damp cloth. In order to protect the products from being stained, a water and stain repellent suitable for leather can be applied before use.

We source our vegetable tanned cow leather from a certified supplier* from the Allgäu in Germany. It’s uniqueness is achieved through a vegetable and sustainable tanning process as well as heavy metal-free dyeing with synthetic colors. Of course, natural leather can not look like a flawless piece from a 3-D printer. This is why our leather has authentic natural marks that emphasize its authenticity and represent the life of the animal.

We are proud to entirely avoid any chemical additives and that the high quality of our leather is demonstrated by the natural surface with its individual characteristics. The unsealed surface is breathable, feels warm and supple. Each skin is so unique with its natural characteristics and features, other than industrially tanned leather from mass production.

Our leather is easy to maintain, though a little more sensitive than conventional leather. We recommend to apply a leather product which offers caring properties with a slightly impregnating effect before first use. Too much care is more harmful to the products than of benefit. The removal of dust with a damp cloth is usually sufficient. Due to the open leather pores, which make the leather breathable and bring the pleasant touch, however, moisture and damp dirt can also penetrate more easily. Stains can only be prevented by careful handling, they can not be removed again after their formation.

*Ecopell has been certified with IVN, Biokreis and ECARF as particularly environmentally- and allergy- friendly.