Cork fabrics are harvested from the Cork Oak tree, a tree that grows primarily in Mediterranean. When the Cork Oak has reached 25 years of age, the bark is stripped from the tree by a skilled cork harvester with a machete. Cork cultivation has been a family heritage for centuries. An art that is passed on from one generation to another, the stripping of the cork bark ensures that no tree is ever lost in the process. That tree is then marked with a number so that it will not be harvested again for ten years. Unlike other trees, the Cork Oak is the only tree in the world that can be stripped of its bark and not die, thus making the harvesting of cork 100% sustainable. That's our favourite part.  In fact, the same tree can be harvested every 9 years for over 200 years. Once the cork bark arrives in the factory, it is boiled in water to make the cork cells expand and make it easier to work with. Then, it is shaved down into very thin sheets about the same thickness as tissue paper. To make the cork durable, the sheets are then glued to a fabric backing. The pieces of cork are sometimes glued onto the backing like patchwork. And after all this, we use it to create your Arture product.