The recycling and reuse of the raw material - cork - is one of Corticeira Amorim's responses to market challenges and stakeholder requirements, thereby reducing its environmental footprint, applying circular models and fostering the development of innovative solutions that add value to the raw material.
Good management and recovery of waste, with a view to prolonging its use in the economy, is important for Corticeira Amorim and is integrated into its circular economy practices. The recycling processes implemented have made it possible to increase reuse of the raw material, prolonging cork’s life cycle and its environmental benefits, in particular its CO2 retention capacity.
Although recycled cork can never be used again to make cork stoppers, it can have a second life, used in floor and wall coverings, insulation, memo boards, high competition kayaks, badminton rackets, tennis and cricket balls, car and aircraft components, design parts and fashion and a multitude of other purposes. As a result, Corticeira Amorim fosters several recycling projects, which have a social character and also foster education and environmental awareness for all stakeholders and the community in general.
Launched in 2024 in New York, the Cork Collective cork stopper recycling programme brings together the passion and energy of four founding partners who excel in their respective fields. In addition to Corticeira Amorim, the programme’s partners include Rockwell - the prestigious architecture and design company, BlueWell - a company which specialises in sustainability and is dedicated to creating ecological solutions for clients around the world, and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits - one of the most influential distributors in the drinks industry. They are jointly mobilising their expertise to activate a sustainability initiative dedicated to endowing cork stoppers with a new lease of life, by transforming them into innovative, eco-friendly products that benefit communities and foster a greener future.
Launched in 2023 in partnership with Australia’s largest liquor retailer, Endeavour Drinks Group, and with support from the South Australian Government, this programme sees the collection of used wine cork stoppers at over 100 stores across Australia, and the conversion of the resulting cork granulate into a range of sustainable products including flooring and sporting goods. In coming years the programme will expand to more sites across the country as further retail, hospitality and industrial partnerships are created. To date the programme has recycled over 3 million cork stoppers.
Implemented since 2008, Green Cork is a project developed by Quercus, in partnership with Corticeira Amorim and several other partners, to collect cork stoppers for recycling. Its main objectives are to collect cork stoppers and finance the planting of autochthonous trees, through the Common Forest programme.
Created in 2009 by Amorim France, this project aims to strengthen relations with customers - combining environmental protection with various charity institutions. Today it is the world's largest contributor to the recycling of cork stoppers.
Since 2011, ETICO involves associations and institutions, and mobilises around one thousand volunteers and manages more than five thousand collection points throughout Italy. For each ton of cork stoppers collected, Amorim Cork Italia makes a donation to institutions, thereby financing social solidarity projects, while favouring circular economy principles, by giving recycled cork a new lease of life.
Based on a partnership with NH Hotels, Cork2Cork started in 2011, with the aim of collecting cork stoppers in hotels located in Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands. To date, more than two tonnes of corks have been recycled and 8,000 m2 of flooring produced (the equivalent of around 300 hotel rooms).
Launched in 2013, Amorim Cork Life, among other initiatives, contributes to job creation through the construction of handicrafts and decorative objects based on recycled cork stoppers, making a real impact not only on the environment, but also on the local community.
It’s the largest cork recycling project in the United States and Canada, created in 2008 on the initiative of the footwear company SOLE. The recycled cork stoppers, collected through a network of more than 3,000 partners, are transformed to be applied in the production of shoe soles.
CorkCycle is an environmental initiative that reduces CO₂ emissions by collecting and recycling used cork on a large scale. It promotes sustainable practices across the HoReCa and wine sectors, creating a coordinated network committed to giving cork a responsible second life and supporting a healthier natural environment.