Sustainability
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Working for a better tomorrow
Since the beginning of its operation, sustainability has been one of Lafitte's main concerns. We believe that cork is one of the Earth's greatest treasures and we want to directly honor the system that gave us such a gift: Nature. As such, each stage of our production process is continuously improved with the aim of reducing our ecological footprint.
35
Sanctuaries of biodiversity around the world, with the Montado being one of them
14.000.000
Tons of atmospheric CO₂ offset annually by the Montado
34%
The world's largest area of cork oak forest is located in Portugal.
49%
Of the world's cork production, Portuguese
135
Plant species per square meter of cork oak forests
+200
Animal species inhabit the Montado
4x
Less CO₂ is released during the production of cork stoppers (compared to aluminum).
730.000
Hectares of land constitute the cork oak forest area in Portugal
What makes cork so unique?
100% natural
Cork is the bark of the Quercus suber tree, also known as the cork oak, which can live for up to 200 years. It is a 100% natural, 100% reusable, and 100% recyclable raw material, consisting of a honeycomb-shaped network of microscopic cells filled with gas identical to air and coated mainly with suberin and lignin.
This unique chemical composition gives cork its many characteristics—lightness, elasticity, compressibility, resistance, impermeability, thermal and acoustic insulation—unmatched by any man-made material. These unique characteristics allow for its wide use and reuse.
Ecological
In environmental terms, cork oak trees, from which cork is extracted, play a key role in soil preservation, regulating the water cycle, and water quality.
Extracting cork from cork oak trees does not damage them, quite the contrary. Careful stripping, carried out by professionals, is not harmful to the trees, as they are stripped of their bark and not cut down. Cork renews itself naturally after nine years. The cork industry allows these vast forests to be protected and exploited without disturbing their ecosystems—in fact, stripped cork oak trees absorb 3 to 5 times more carbon dioxide than trees with bark.
These trees actively combat the tendency towards desertification in Mediterranean regions. In addition, due to their enormous oxygen production, cork oaks offset around 14 million tons of carbon dioxide released annually and represent a unique and extraordinarily rich ecosystem, home to thousands of species. In fact, the Montado is internationally recognized for its biodiversity, being one of the thirty-five biodiversity sanctuaries in the world.
Reuse
The cork used in the production of cork stoppers is recycled to make other products, which means that the waste resulting from the production process is not wasted!
This cork is crushed and used not only in technical corks, but also in other products such as conglomerates, panels, footwear, vehicles, home décor, and many more.
Aging capacity
About 50% of cork's volume is composed of a gas identical to air, which gives it extraordinary lightness, enabling it to float. This chemical composition also gives cork surprising elasticity, enabling it to adapt to variations in temperature and pressure without undergoing any changes. This elasticity causes cork to expand inside the neck of a bottle, thus sealing the liquid contained within.
However, the magic lies in the smallest details—its microscopic porosity allows oxygen to interact with the wine just enough to activate aging.
Due to the impermeability provided by the suberin surrounding its cell walls, cork is an excellent insulator, resistant to moisture and aging, without deteriorating.
Choose cork.
The consumption of bottles sealed with cork stoppers can offset a large part of the pollution caused by emissions resulting from transportation.
There is only one thing left to add to the list of ecological and economic benefits: the pleasure itself. It is no surprise that cork has been admired for centuries. Nothing preserves the ancestral flavor and color of a wine as faithfully as the natural purity of a cork stopper.
What about Lafitte?
Our second skin
The Lafitte Group is firmly committed to providing its customers with sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions across its entire product range. We pride ourselves on using virtuous and eco-responsible methods to produce cork stoppers and capsules. And, of course, the primary raw material used by Lafitte—cork—is completely natural, clean, and renewable.
All waste from cork stopper production is recovered and transformed through new production channels. Residual dust from the production process is used to generate energy, thereby reducing fossil fuel use and carbon emissions at Lafitte's processing facilities.
The Lafitte Group embraces a vision of harmony between the economy, society, and the environment.
Forest protection.
The Lafitte Group has a dedicated department exclusively responsible for drawing up long-term strategic collaboration agreements with forest owners to ensure the protection of these natural areas with a view to preserving the biodiversity present in them.
