Over the last few years, cork products have exploded all over the market as sustainability trends have taken over.

Cork is pretty remarkable. It’s 100% natural, comes from the bark of a tree that doesn’t get cut down, and is easy to recycle. On top of that, it can be used to make a wide variety of products because of its impermeable, buoyant, elastic, and fire-retardant properties.

However, #recyclable isn’t the same as #recycled.

Most cork in the world never gets recycled because cork recycling facilities are rare, few, and far between. Even worst, the newest range of cork products – from shoes, bags, and lamps – is only possible when mixed with synthetic binding agents, making recycling even more complicated.

Many of us use labels to simplify our decision, but it’s essential to understand what those labels represent.