11 Great Ways to Reuse Cork

By Sheila Shaigany, Planet Green

Contrary to popular opinion, cork is not endangered. In fact, it’s renewable and helps the environment by encouraging vegetation. It’s just being produced less because there’s less of a demand from the wine industry, who’s turning more and more towards using plastic and metal caps.

So how can we keep cork alive? Consume copious amounts of corked wine, of course! And after you’ve finished that bottle you can do a lot with cork!

For other eco-friendly drinking tips click here.

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1. Cork’s rough texture makes it a great stopper. Cut your bottle cork into ¼ inch slices or “discs.” Then just glue it onto the bottom surface of large pottery, furniture, or any other slippery object that resides on the ground. It’ll make for a scratch-free floor. You can also glue these discs onto the bottom of potted plants and prevent moisture damage.

2. Since cork’s heat resistant, why not make a trivet? Cork trivets can be really easy to make, especially if you don’t feel like slicing or dicing. Just remove the wooden frame from one of your old picture frames, and glue it onto a piece of cardboard (or even the back of a notebook). Then glue the corks onto the cardboard, using whatever pattern you like. Presto!

3. There are tons of ways to create cork jewelry. If you’re pressed for time, you can make a simple bracelet by stringing cork together with colorful beads-with just a needle and fishing line. Plus, a little piece of cork makes a perfect backing for earrings. I guarantee that you’ll never lose an earring again!

4. If you don’t have the patience for glue guns or fishing line, just recycle your cork. Natural cork is biodegradable and renewable. ReCork America has teamed up with the world’s largest cork producers, Amorim & Irmãos of Portugal, to make recycling easy for you! In addition to participating restaurants and wineries, you can drop off your corks at one of their many nationwide collection locations.

You can also send your corks to Korks 4 Kids—a non-profit organization that donates the proceeds made from recycled cork towards the Autism Foundation.

5. Another option is to make cork handles. Since it’s heat resistant, you can use a wine cork as an insulated handle for your pots and pans. Just glue it on! Or you can make handles for your cabinet doors and drawers. To make it extra funky, paint the cork a bright color before gluing it on.

Next Page: 5 More Amazing Ways to Reuse Cork.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Cindy R.

9:14AM PST on Jan 11, 2013

thank you so much for all the great ideas

January 11
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Nimue P.

8:42PM PST on Jan 5, 2013

Fab ideas, thanks :)

January 5
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Donna H.

12:39PM PST on Nov 20, 2012

Thanks.

November 20
send a green star

Summerannie M.

8:51PM PDT on Jun 29, 2012

Here at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia, they have a campaign to help their elephants and that is to donate all corks from products. Sadly corks for wine bottles are now limited and its harder to get cork. However, the cork they do receive are then processed in such a way that they become drink coasters and sold in their shop. A few years ago I saved up to Green Garden Waste bags full of corks and wherever I would go I would pick them up and toss them into my car then into the Green Garden Waste bags and finally when I had filled them I dropped them off to the zoo. They were just so excited, so not only did I do a good thing, environmentally but also recycling as well as raising money for the Elephants to get a new Elephant house. They have the new house now and many babies have been born since.