Garments:
Waste Coat Suit
Tyvek Trench
Cork Chaps
Shoddy Vest
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Garments:
Waste Coat Suit
Tyvek Trench
Cork Chaps
Shoddy Vest
Utility Bags
Tags
LookBook
Process
Resources
Information
About
Contact
Insta
Work chaps made from cork cutoffs used to clad interior surfaces. Water resistant surface, tough, non-fraying; cork normally used for walls, surface or floor treatment can now cover your legs while you work, with an easy-latching metal clasp. The chaps are laced together with neon-orange paracord detail.
What is Cork?
Cork is a commonly used natural material that comes from the outermost bark of cork trees from the Mediterranean and Iberian regions. In fact, when harvesting cork, only the bark, which is a thin layer, is utilized to obtain cork. There are two species of cork oaks that produce cork.
Cork can be used in myriad ways, from a building material to small craft objects (think coasters, bulletin boards, wine stoppers, etc.) Cork is able to be used in so many ways because its thickness can vary, depending on how it is cut or made with an additional backing material, such as rubber or fabric.
How is Cork Used? / What is it used for?
Cork is used in myriad ways, from a building material to small craft objects (think coasters, bulletin boards, wine stoppers, etc.) Cork is able to be used in so many ways because its thickness can vary, depending on how it is cut or made with an additional backing material, such as rubber or fabric.
How is Cork Made?
Cork is a byproduct of the bark on cork oak trees. To produce cork, a harvester cuts through the cork layer on the trunk of the cork oak tree. Because it's a sustainable material, the harvester avoids cutting too deep to damage the living portion of the cork oak.
Usually, horizontal cuts are made at the base of cork trees. Then, the harvester strips the cork material from each panel of the cork oak tree. After the cork is harvested from the cork tree, the cork planks are usually placed on concrete during the drying process to avoid contamination.
Afterward, the natural material is turned into a product.
Material Properties in General
Some of its core properties are:
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Unaffected by temperature extremes
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Fire retardant qualities
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Exceptionally compressible and low density
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Excellent insulation
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Low thermal conductivity
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Resistant to sound and seepage
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Lightweight, water-resistant, and buoyant
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Virtually indestructible
Material Properties in Detail
Cork is composed of suberin, a hydrophobic substance. Because of its impermeable, buoyant, elastic, and fire retardant properties, it is used in a variety of products, the most common of which is wine stoppers.
Recyclability / Sustainability
Each cork tree grows in the Iberian region and Mediterranean region. The bark of the cork tree is harvested when the tree reaches 20 or 25 years old. Afterward, the bark is harvested about every nine years, which makes cork a very sustainable material. Even the harvesting process of cork is done so in a manner to avoid causing harm to the cork oak trees.
Cork as a Garment… The Cork Chaps
This specific garment is made from cork that has been adhered to polyester fabric. It is thin enough, and pliable, thanks to the fabric backing, to have been cut with scissors and manipulatable like a fabric. It is typically used as an interior surface treatment, for wall coverings & bulletin boards. It can also be used for unconventional apparel. Its aforementioned properties such as being fire retardant, water-resistant, and virtually indestructible make the material a perfect choice for protective gear, like chaps.