Natural cork production has always been about sustainability and environmental friendliness. Because cork harvesting does no damage to the tree, vital forests are preserved for centuries. As consumer expectations have changed, new technologies are being used to ensure that top quality does not come at the expense of our natural resources.

OENEO was the first—and thus far the only—closure company to undertake a carbon footprint study examining the closure production process. We wanted to establish what our impact was and develop methods to reduce our own carbon footprint. In research validated by the French Environmental Agency, we found that the DIAM footprint is lower than both synthetic closures and screw caps.

By creating a natural cork-based closure we are:

Our chemical-free, DIAMANT Process uses supercritical carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide in its liquid form) to naturally purify our cork granules. The cork is then molded into shape using a neutral food-grade binding agent that helps make the entire closure recyclable.

Over the last 15 years, more than 150,000 hectares (370,000 acres) of new cork trees have been planted, providing a reliable and stable cork supply for future cork production while also helping to protect and maintain valuable biologically diverse forest acreage. Cork has been grown and harvested in this region for over a century. Cork production is a part of the culture and is an integral part of both the culture and environment of the Iberian Peninsula.

European cork forests are hosts to critically endangered species such as the Iberian lynx and Iberian Imperial Eagle, while the Barbary deer is found only in North African cork forests. To help ensure that these diverse landscapes are sustained, cork forests throughout Spain, Portugal and Italy have achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. This certification recognizes that these countries’ forests and operations are managed to the highest international social and environmental standards.

The cork industry employs more than 30,000 workers every year. By 2010, cork production is expected to rise 15 percent over today’s levels, reaching a production of approximately 30,000 tons per year.