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In the past, the floors of our gyms, yoga studios, and other workout spaces have been made of unforgiving, rigid, or non-sustainable materials in the name of being easy to clean. Cork is a natural and renewable resource carefully hand-harvested from the cork oak tree and can be used as comfortable and sustainable flooring perfect for workout spaces.

Embarking on a room re-do can be an exciting yet daunting prospect. Here is one of our favorite before and after cork flooring room make-overs to spark your inspiration. 

2020 was filled with hope and new excitement for many of us - the start of a new decade, new and bright horizons staring back at us from advancements in technology, and the ever-shrinking feeling of the world drawing every person and culture closer together. CorkHouse was no exception. The last ten years have been a constant time of growth, company development, and ever-present change. 

There is just something about a Christmas Tree, the smell of a real one, finding the perfect size and shape for the room or rooms. Or unpacking the artificial tree that’s pre-lit and just getting to focus on decorating and not having to fight about the lights (unless, of course, one of the pre-strung strands has mysteriously quit working, but that’s another blog post or couples counseling).

Vast portions of Portugal are covered in montado or cork oak forests. Unlike the traditional forests of North America, the montado is a blend of trees and grassland, creating a home for a wide variety of animals. Many cork forests have been converted into agricultural farming or property development. This caused mass displacement of some of the animals of the cork forest. Some of these displaced animals are now listed as threatened or endangered species.

Ever wonder why you are performing a mindful, longevity practice on something made of plastic? We had the same question! 

 

As it turns out, cork is one of the best sustainable materials to make a yoga mat! I have listed our 5 top reasons you should be using a cork yoga mat below. 

 

 I am here to spread the cheerful joy of the incredible cork tree and its delightful bark. If nothing else, to shed some light on the negative carbon footprint from the world of consumerism.

Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree. Once harvested from the tree, it allows new bark to grow in its place without killing or damaging the trees (think sheering a sheep). 

I talk (or think) about cork all day, every day. I have for years. Explaining the process of the cork harvest and how the bark immediately begins to re-generate has always made me feel good. The key points are:

 

• The tree is not cut down in the harvesting process. 
• The tree will naturally live to be 200 and 500 years old. 
• The bark can be harvested every nine years on average during the tree's life.