FAQS - CLARISSAKORK

1
Can I use the cork carpet if I have underfloor heating?

Yes, cork carpets are open to diffusion, so it does not harm the floor covering or the carpet if you have underfloor heating.

2
Can I also order the carpet with cut-outs / notches?

Do you have an angled kitchen or an unusually shaped entrance area and need a custom design with cut-outs? No problem, we offer that too. You can order individual sizes and variants using our customization form; for special cases with cuts and recesses, simply send us your quotation request with plan and dimensions to hallo@clarissakork.com

3
Is it true that there is a shortage of cork?

I am sometimes asked this question at trade fairs. This is a rumor that goes back to the less frequently used wine corks - but cork underlayment never has a defect. The cork industry in Portugal is monitored and regulated by the state. Cork is one of the most important economic sectors for Portugal. So where does the myth that cork is in short supply come from? For cost reasons, the wine industry decided to use stoppers made of glass or screw caps made of metal and plastic, arguing this to the outside world with a cork shortage, among other things. You could call it a PR stunt. But what luck for me, because this "crisis" resulted in an enormous surplus of cork bark: new products had to be made and so the wonderful cork leather was born out of this need.

4
Is a cork rug suitable for the bathroom?

The cork leather carpet has no problem with moisture, which is why it is the perfect solution as a bathroom carpet. It has some decisive advantages over conventional carpets. It remains flat on the floor and does not slip. Bathroom carpets in particular adhere poorly to the floor due to tiles and other surfaces. Neither hair nor dust can get caught in the cork carpet, so it stays clean and does not need to be shaken out. There is also no need to wash it in the washing machine as it can simply be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Whether make-up or toothpaste, a damp cloth is all you need. You are usually barefoot in the bathroom, and it is precisely when you are barefoot that you can feel how pleasantly soft and warm it is to stand on a cork carpet.

5
Why is cork leather so soft and elastic?

After harvesting, the cork oak bark is stacked outdoors and exposed to sun, wind and rain for six months. During this time, the cork matures and stabilizes. For further processing, it is then steamed in hot water to remove dirt and increase the flexibility of the raw material. The cork is then pressed into blocks, cut into very fine layers and laminated onto a textile carrier material (cotton). This is how the velvety soft, flexible cork leather is created. That's why our desk mats for children, which are also loved by both boys and girls as coloring mats, are particularly popular.

6
Is a cork rug suitable for the entrance?

The vegan leather rug is ideal for your entrance area. Why? Because it fits super thinly under every door. Because moisture and even salt water cannot harm it. The moisture remains reliably on the surface and allows it to dry on the top. Dirt can simply be wiped off without time-consuming cleaning and does not disappear into the depths of a dirt mat. There is no need for expensive cleaning. Last but not least - as the saying goes: the entrance is the business card of the house, a cork carpet has a super classy appearance in contrast to conventional dirt mats and runners and therefore enhances every entrance.

7
How does cork leather feel?

The cork has a velvety soft and warm surface. The grip is similar to a smooth leather. The main difference is that cork is warmer than leather.

8
How are the children's motifs printed and are they safe?

The cork play mats and placemats are printed in Vorarlberg. The colors are cured using UV and are therefore completely harmless. The inks are Green-Guard certified and therefore have the highest certification in the printing sector.

9
Is a cork rug suitable for the kitchen?

Thanks to its many practical properties, the cork carpet or runner is ideal for the kitchen. The cork-rubber granulate on the back ensures a pleasantly soft and joint-friendly standing sensation - like a Birkenstock on the floor.
Thanks to the combination of materials on the back, the cork carpet does not slip and is therefore not a tripping hazard. Whatever drips down when cooking, you can easily wipe it all up. The carpet remains stain-free and never becomes dingy, as other kitchen runners tend to do over time.

10
Does the cork stain?

The cork leather is dyed all the way through, i.e. not just on the surface and cannot stain. You can also sit down on the carpet in your white jeans. By the way: cork is dyed extremely gently with certified water-based dyes - free of harmful substances.

11
How does the cork behave when chairs or tables are placed on it?

Cork can withstand anything. Even heavy tables and sharp chair legs cannot harm the cork. Any imprints caused by this will disappear after a few hours at the latest. You can even use the cork rug as a base for your office chair thanks to its dimensional stability. Incidentally, we also have a matching cork desk pad.

12
How thick is the cork carpet?

The great advantage of cork carpets is that they are extremely flat and thin. At 3.1 mm, it fits under almost any door. This makes it particularly popular in entrance areas.

13
What do I need to bear in mind when handling placemats and rugs?

If you want to put the carpet aside, please roll it up with the nice side facing outwards, otherwise the cork-rubber granules could break. For this reason, please also avoid extreme buckling of carpets and placemats. Cork is also very easy to clean.

14
How do you care for a cork carpet?

Unlike most other natural materials, cork really is extremely easy to care for. Unlike wood, cork does not need to be oiled or greased like leather. The cork leather can be cleaned with a damp cloth. If necessary, you can use a mild soap for cleaning, but please refrain from using aggressive cleaning agents, as these will make the cork brittle in the long term.

15
Can the carpets get wet?

Of course, the carpets as well as the play rugs for children and all other products from the store can get wet. Cork carpets are predestined for the bathroom. You can stand on it really wet - fresh from the shower. Wiping up is not necessary. The water dries up quickly. If a large amount of liquid gets under the carpet, simply leave the carpet to dry for an hour.

16
How robust is cork?

Cork is very robust in every respect. The soft and elastic surface is highly resistant to rubbing and is also flame-retardant. The so-called cork leather - which is used for the upper side - is even tear-resistant and is therefore often used in furniture and clothing. This hard-wearing wear layer also makes it possible to use the carpets in high-traffic areas such as entrées, kitchens and workspaces.

Thanks to its compact cell structure, the vegan leather is not only extremely abrasion-resistant, but also very scratch-resistant. The surface can therefore withstand even the highest loads and protects floors from heavy wear. Even street shoes, small pebbles, moisture and salt water are no problem for the cork carpet.

17
Does the cork become brittle over time?

The question of whether a cork carpet can break keeps cropping up - the crumbling pinboard is always on people's minds. But cork carpets made of cork leather have as much in common with a pinboard as chips have with mashed potatoes. Of course - both potatoes, but their texture and consistency are fundamentally different. The top side of the carpet is soft, elastic and supple: it therefore cannot become brittle.

18
What is cork and how is cork harvested?

Cork is obtained from the bark of the cork oak. A cork oak must first be 20 to 25 years old before its bark can be peeled off for the first time. Cork harvesting is a traditional craft in Portugal that requires a great deal of experience. Harvesting is done entirely by hand and without machines. Each tree requires two specialized workers who carefully remove the cork layer from the trunk manually in six steps.

Regularly peeling off the cork layer increases the life expectancy of the tree and thus also helps to preserve the precious ecosystem of the montados. After a regeneration phase of up to 9 years, the tree can be harvested again, on average over a period of an astonishing 150 to 200 years. In the resting phase after harvesting, the cork oak is able to bind up to five times more CO2.

F.A.Q.

1
Can I use the cork carpet if I have underfloor heating?

2
Can I also order the carpet with cut-outs / notches?

3
Is it true that there is a shortage of cork?

4
Is a cork rug suitable for the bathroom?

5
Why is cork leather so soft and elastic?