Firstly, using cork supports local farmers and protects the Cork Oak in its native habitat in arid areas of primarily Spain and Portugal. The preservation of cork oak forests is also important to the survival of thousands of species in this rare ecosystem:
Cork forests also play a vital role in combating soil erosion by wind and rain.
Cork oaks are also naturally resistant to forest fires and play a vital role in protecting delicate landscapes from devastation.
Cork production is entirely sustainable and renewable- Cork Oak trees are not harmed in the harvest of their bark for cork, and cork forests have been harvested for a thousand years.
Cork floors are resilient, tough and long-lived. A floor that can last over 50 years is definitely a responsible choice for the environment.
DuroDesign cork floors are easy to maintain, further lessening the environmental impact of your floor over its lifetime - needing only routine damp-mopping with water and a simple re-coat of our MP765 low-VOC water-based polyurethane every 5-7 years (in average residential use) or one coat of hard wax oil (for the prefinished hard wax oil option).