| The most common use for cork remains as a | | | | mopping. However, one caveat is that since cork |
| means of capping wine bottles. There are now | | | | is a substance that expands and contracts, it is |
| modern alternatives for this service, such as | | | | important that the humidity level in the building |
| plastic stoppers, but traditional cork stoppers | | | | containing the cork flooring be kept within a |
| remain the most popular choice for wine | | | | controlled range. |
| purposes. In fact, it has been reported that cork | | | | Cork is hypoallergenic, which makes it useful for |
| accounts for only 15% of cork usage by weight, | | | | anything that comes in contact with human skin. |
| but 66% by revenue. However, cork is not a one | | | | For instance, a company in Canada makes a |
| trick pony. It can be used for some very | | | | computer mouse pad out of cork. Given that a |
| interesting things outside of a wine bottle. | | | | computer operator's hand spends a lot of time on |
| Cork is a very unusual material in that its cells are | | | | the mouse pad, this is an excellent option for |
| aligned in a honeycomb type of structure and | | | | someone with sensitive skin. |
| filled with air, making it very compressible and | | | | In 2002, American John Pollack and his partner |
| elastic. When pressed, cork will return to its | | | | Garth Goldstein made international news by |
| original shape. This property makes it useful for | | | | successfully navigating a boat down the Douro |
| many purposes in industry and the arts. | | | | River in Portugal that was made entirely of cork |
| One of the more common industry uses for cork | | | | stoppers. The project demonstrated yet another |
| is in the creation of low temperature insulation, | | | | interesting and unusual use for cork, even without |
| which is used to insulate things like refrigeration | | | | manufacturing it into any kind of particular end |
| pipes and water coolers. To make the insulation | | | | product. |
| material, the cork is ground up, molded, and | | | | There has been concern in recent years about |
| baked into the desired shape. | | | | wineries switching away from cork. The reason |
| Cork is used in rockets. It has a high degree of | | | | for the shift is that a cork stopper can on |
| fire resistance, also making it a good insulation | | | | occasion ruin the taste of wine. Rather than being |
| material for high temperature environments. | | | | a good environmental move, it is argued that the |
| NASA uses cork in rockets to prevent rocket | | | | shift away from cork will be damaging to the |
| fuel from getting too hot during ignition. | | | | environment. The reason is that without wineries |
| Cork is a wonderful material for flooring that is | | | | using cork, the demand for cork would fall to the |
| available in many colors and patterns. Cork is | | | | point that cork forests would stop being |
| durable and can be installed on almost any floor. It | | | | maintained or replaced altogether with more |
| provides excellent insulation for both thermal and | | | | profitable products. Therefore, coming up with |
| acoustic purposes. Cork flooring is also easy to | | | | new and innovative uses for cork may be critical |
| keep clean, requiring only vacuuming or damp | | | | to its future. |