The cork oak tree and the cork used for the manufacture of RELVAS corks represent a fully sustainable program. The benefits associated with the use of cork as a raw material base for the production of sparkling wine corks and the two facilities installed in Portugal are a contribution to the continuity and the pursuit of sustainable development, both by the effect the environment and the local economy.

Our plants represent our contribution to work setting and to the local economy. The factory in The Cerejo Valley in Cortiçadas Lavre contributes economically to the population in a deprived area with job opportunities.

Buying directly from the producer of cork allows not only to deepen our understanding of the raw material and the elimination of intermediate barriers potentially harmful to the environment (additional transport of raw material) achieving this traceability throughout the production process.

The main advantage lies in cork as substrate for the production of champagne corks, this being a “green” raw material compared with existing alternatives in the market (aluminum and plastic) (see table).
Here are some of the main contributions of exploring cork oak forests and using cork as a raw material in the manufacture of RELVAS sparkling wine corks process:

> Environmental Value of the cork forest (where the acquired cork is extracted) by soil conservation, regulation of the water cycle, carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation

> Biodiversity of the Cork Forest ensuring the survival of endemic forestry and plant species and the protection of endangered animal species

> Social-economic importance of Cork Forest. The total sustainability resulting from exploring the cork forest and all activities that are related to the operation of assembling , allow the fixing and keeping of populations even in inhospitable and hostile climates

> The carbon sequestration by cork. In addition to the consumption of CO2 by photosynthesis, the cellular structure of the cork is CO2 fixing, fixing over 5 times higher in the year of cork extraction, thereby combating the greenhouse effect.

> Fighting desertification. According to the report “The Cork Oak Forest , a barrier against desertification” of the WWF , the future survival of the cork forests rely heavily on proper management , being the cork oak tree a key tool in combating desertification in the Iberian Peninsula while playing a decisive role in preventing soil degradation.

> The creation of warm microclimates, creating conditions for sheltering, shading, food and support habitat for wild flora and fauna, favoring biological diversity; improving the landscape composition, among others …

 Cortiça versus materiais alternativos – 324kb (PDF)