Cork has been the biggest hang-up. Walking on a cork deck feels great underfoot; soft, comfortable, just like teak. That tactile feel is a big part of why people love teak. Cork gives you that. Visually cork lacks the character that the grain of a natural teak deck has, but it can still have the traditional seams and look great. Conversely, cork does allow total design freedom similar to our composite decking if the designer or owner wants to get creative with a design feature other than the traditional “teak plank look”.

The cork tables were designed by Michael Sodeau, who first explored the natural material when he was working on a resort project in Sagres, Portugal. Surprised by its special properties, Sodeau soon realized that cork could enhance pieces made for workplace settings. “Cork isn’t commonly used in contract office furniture,” he says. “I embraced its bulkier nature by creating products that celebrate roundness.”

The Natural Cork Council (NCC) announced its support today for the Trump administration’s signing of a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union that exempts natural cork products from additional tariffs.

Inside, the car takes on a different texture entirely. Wotherspoon layers the cabin with vintage Levi’s denim, corduroy, and flannel, fabrics sourced from garments dating back to the 1960s. ‘It’s all made with vintage Levi’s denim and flannel shirts,’ he continues. ‘I also used some corduroy in there because it’s one of my favorite materials, and the cork dashboard is also really special. The cork was leftover from the Taycan project, so it has a little bit of modern Porsche running through it.’

When does an object stop becoming simply furniture and when does it become cherished, loved, a keepsake? A strong factor is longevity, childhood chairs, tables, and art sparking memories long buried. Cork represents this almost symbiotic relationship aptly, illustrating a material that doesn’t require the felling of trees, allowing them to live on. In turn, as the forest takes care of us, we must take care of the forest. This circular relationship speaks to responsible stewardship practices, essential in the coming decades. Source material for the pieces featured in Forest for the Trees ranges from reclaimed wine corks to discarded building material, insulation, and upcycled skateboards.

There will likely always be debates between the use of cork versus screw cap, glass and other enclosures. This time we take an in depth look at cork as Patrick Spencer, Executive Director of the Natural Cork Council is our guest this week. Cork is simply amazing and even better it is good for the earth and good for wine. There is nothing like the sound of cracking a bottle with a cork.