Aiyaz Crystal Wine Glasses

Cork Stopper

Unusual Uses for Cork

The most common use for cork remains as a means of capping wine bottles. There are now modern alternatives for this service, such as plastic stoppers, but traditional cork stoppers remain the most popular choice for wine purposes. In fact, it has been reported that cork accounts for only 15% of cork usage by weight, but 66% by revenue. However, cork is not a one trick pony. It can be used for some very interesting things outside of a wine bottle.

Cork is a very unusual material in that its cells are aligned in a honeycomb type of structure and filled with air, making it very compressible and elastic. When pressed, cork will return to its original shape. This property makes it useful for many purposes in industry and the arts.

One of the more common industry uses for cork is in the creation of low temperature insulation, which is used to insulate things like refrigeration pipes and water coolers. To make the insulation material, the cork is ground up, molded, and baked into the desired shape.

Cork is used in rockets. It has a high degree of fire resistance, also making it a good insulation material for high temperature environments. NASA uses cork in rockets to prevent rocket fuel from getting too hot during ignition.

Cork is a wonderful material for flooring that is available in many colors and patterns. Cork is durable and can be installed on almost any floor. It provides excellent insulation for both thermal and acoustic purposes. Cork flooring is also easy to keep clean, requiring only vacuuming or damp mopping. However, one caveat is that since cork is a substance that expands and contracts, it is important that the humidity level in the building containing the cork flooring be kept within a controlled range.

Cork is hypoallergenic, which makes it useful for anything that comes in contact with human skin. For instance, a company in Canada makes a computer mouse pad out of cork. Given that a computer operator's hand spends a lot of time on the mouse pad, this is an excellent option for someone with sensitive skin.

In 2002, American John Pollack and his partner Garth Goldstein made international news by successfully navigating a boat down the Douro River in Portugal that was made entirely of cork stoppers. The project demonstrated yet another interesting and unusual use for cork, even without manufacturing it into any kind of particular end product.

There has been concern in recent years about wineries switching away from cork. The reason for the shift is that a cork stopper can on occasion ruin the taste of wine. Rather than being a good environmental move, it is argued that the shift away from cork will be damaging to the environment. The reason is that without wineries using cork, the demand for cork would fall to the point that cork forests would stop being maintained or replaced altogether with more profitable products. Therefore, coming up with new and innovative uses for cork may be critical to its future.

About the Author

For more information about cork or cork flooring, visit WorldFloorsDirect.com, a company specializing in wood flooring that originates from managed sustainable forests.

Cork Stopper 36-piece Value Pack $11.53 Assortment of cork stoppers are perfect for a variety of craft projects Natural corks comes in a pack of 36 bottle corksCraft product is ideal for use on projects at home, school or campAvailable in five sizes: #0, #2, #4, #6 and #8

LS Arts Hand Blown Glass Abstract Art Wine Stopper Cork $12.95 A fun long 5.75 inch Hand Blown Glass Wine Stopper Cork in an abstract art form. Blue and green glass is swirled in a very interesting manner to achieve this effect. Type: Can and Bottle Openers Color: Multi-Color

IWGAC 0126704 Clear Vase With Cork $21.39 Clear Glass Vase can be used for multiple purposes. Non Sealing Cork stopper. 3.5 W x 11.5 H.

Wine Stopper, Set of 3 $29 This Wine Stopper Set serves up humor, style and glasses of vino and is a superb gift for a party host, wine appreciator or favored friend. Of the set, designer Auracute;lien Barbry explains, "Often when you just drink one glass of wine a day, you lack a decorative, yet functional, stopper for the wine bottle. I think that it is interesting to use cork, which is an honest material, traditionally used to seal bottles, for a series of Wine & Bar. For me, cork radiates a warmth and gives the series its natural look. Wine & Bar celebrates both the daily meal table and dinner parties."

Chrome Wine Pourer/Stopper - Set of 2 by Prodyne $10.49 Serve and re-cork your favorite wine in style with the Wine Pourer/Stopper by Prodyne. Just remove the inner stopper and you have a convenient pourer to prevent dripping. The air-tight, leak proof seals preserve the flavor and taste of your vintage. This chrome wine pourer is made of solid chromed metal. Sold in a set of 2

Harold Import Harold Import 6pc Replacement Cork Set 9923 $2.2 6pc replacement cork set Set of 6 high grade natural cork bottle stoppers Tapered shape allows this cork to fit most standard bottle openings Brand #: Harold Import 9923 UPC: 023377065915 Keywords: wine bottle stopper cork stoppers corks replacement

No Cork $19.99 No Cork - T-Shirt

Stopper (set) $2 Stopper (set)

Ginsberg Scientific 7550050 Bomex Erlenmeyer Flask 50ml Capacity No. 2 Stopper Size $30.23 The Bomex Brand Erlenmeyer flasks have a narrow mouth tooled top finish metric capacity scale are thick walled and accommodate a variety of stopper sizes and volumes depending on the flask chosen. Capacity: 50ml. Made of Bomex glass. 2 Rubber stopper size. 5 Cork Stopper Size.

Prodyne EZ40 EZ Pull Corkscrew and Pump Stopper Set Pack of 24 $210.6 This beautifully coordinated 2 Piece set combines a handsome selfpulling corkscrew with a cleverly engineered vacuum pump bottle stopper. The corkscrew is easy to use with just a few quick turns the cork will quickly ride up the specially coated internal screw out of the bottle. To release the cork simply turn in the opposite direction. The hinged arms swing out to fit wide flanged necks. The allinone pump stopper will preserve the freshness of remaining wine. A few up and down strokes of the grip pumps out the air that spoils wine. The pump stopper will stay on the bottle until ready to pour again. The set comes in attractive blister card packaging.

Golf Ball Wine Bottle Stopper in Gift Box $15.99 The Golf Ball Wine Bottle Stopper in Gift box is a great gift for golf lovers. The cork seal creates an airtight seal to keep your opened bottle of wine fresh longer. Features: • Made of Zinc Alloy • Comes in a Gift Box, making the perfect gift for golf lovers • Keep an opened wine bottle fresh longer • Color: White

Wine-Saver® Wine Bottle Stopper $3.99 The Wine-Saver® keeps the your wine bottle airtight, thus preserving the spirit's taste up to two weeks. The easy flip open design allows quick access to the wine and snaps shut for a secure seal. The Wine-Saver® keeps your wine fresher longer by replacing the bottle's cork. Sold individually.Features: • Flip top design for ease of use • Replaces bottle's cork • Keeps wine fresher longer • Fits in any standard sized bottle

Lighting Business 275713 Bottles with Fleur De Lis Stopper Set of 3 $56.36 Bottles with Fleur De Lis Stopper Set of 3Set of three bottles in graduating sizes themed with postage stamps with fleur de lis cork stoppers.100 Glass. Materials: 100 Glass. Dimensions: 7711h x 222.75w x 22.754

Cork $132 This comprehensive book describes cork as a natural product, as an industrial raw-materials, and as a wine bottle closure. From its formation in the outer bark of the cork oak tree to the properties that are of relevance to its use, cork is presented and explained including its physical and mechanical properties. The industrial processing of cork from post-harvest procedures to the production of cork agglomerates and composites is described. Intended as a reference book, this is the ideal compilation of scientific knowledge on state-of-the-art cork production and use Key Features: *Presents comprehensive coverage from cork formation to post-harvest procedures *Explains the physical properties, mechanical properties and quality of cork *Addresses topics of interest for those in food science, agriculture and forestry

Show Stopper $10 Show Stopper - Dr Acula

Pop Stopper $15.99 STINGER SGN21 POP STOPPER

Show-Stopper $24.99 Show-Stopper - Photographic Print

Anchors Aweigh Wine Stopper - imm Living $22 Anchors Aweigh Wine Stopper - imm Living Inspired by the sea, the Anchors Aweigh collection is perfect for any seaman or landlubber. With the ships anchor as the central inspiration, the Anchors Aweigh Bottle Opener will have you celebrating like it's the maiden voyage of the Titanic, but be careful, we all know what happened to that ship. So get all hands on deck, because this collection will make anyone feel like the captain of their very own ship. Size: 1.2" x 2" x 3.6" Material: Ceramic & Cork Drawing from the traditional and popular cultures of our world, imm Living creates designs marrying functionality with a playful sensibility. As varied as the people behind each project, their work is injected with rich meaning, evoking emotion between objects and people, while bridging cultural differences.

Max Accents 27571-3 Bottles with Fleur De Lis Stopper - Set of 3 $54 Bottles with Fleur De Lis Stopper - Set of 3 by Max Accents 27571-3. Set of three bottles in graduating sizes themed with postage stamps with fleur de lis cork stoppers.Material: 100% GlassSpecificationThis item includes:IM-27571-3 Bottles with Fleur De Lis Stopper - Set of 3 7-7-11"h x 2-2-2.75"w x 2-2.75-4"Please refer to the Specifications to determine what items are included since sometimes the image shows more or less items. If you are not sure, please contact us and our customer service will be glad to help.

New York Knicks Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New York Jets Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New York Islanders Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New York Giants Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New Orleans Saints Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New Orleans Hornets Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New Jersey Devils Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New Jersey Nets Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

New England Patriots Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Nashville Predators Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Minnesota Wild Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Minnesota Vikings Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Minnesota Twins Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Minnesota Timberwolves Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Milwaukee Bucks Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Milwaukee Brewers Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Miami Heat Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Miami Dolphins Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.

Pittsburgh Steelers Corkscrew and Stopper Gift Set $27.99 An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set featuring a cork screw and bottle topper decorated with high-quality Team Logos. The perfect compliment to your Bar or Game Room d�cor.