Materials & care

Cork fabric

Everything we sew is made from cork fabric: a thin layer of cork bonded to a textile backing. That is the wording you will find on the product pages, and it is the honest one. The surface you see and touch is cork; the strength that lets it be cut, folded and stitched into a bag comes from the backing it is bonded to.

Cork is the bark of the cork oak. It is stripped from the tree, and the tree is not cut down — it grows a new layer of bark, and the same tree can be stripped again about nine years later.

Our bags and pouches have a rust-red woven textile lining. Zips, snaps, buckles and rings are metal. Every sewn piece carries one line of rust-red topstitching, along the edge.

Cork sheet

Coasters and placemats are made from cork sheet. No textile backing, no lining, no stitching — just cork, cut to shape. They are flat, unsewn pieces, which is why the care advice for them is shorter than for a bag.

The grain

Cork is a natural material and the grain differs on every piece. The bag, wallet or pouch you receive will not look exactly like the image on its product page, and two pieces in the same tone ordered together will not be identical twins.

We offer three tones: Natural (honey tan), Smoked (dark espresso brown) and Moss (muted olive green). Small colour differences between pieces in the same tone are normal — they come from the bark itself, not from a fault in the making. Screens vary as well, so colours can look slightly different from one display to another.

Everyday care

Cork asks for very little. A soft, slightly damp cloth is usually all it takes.

• Wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth. No harsh cleaners, no scouring pads.
• Let it air-dry, away from direct heat and out of direct sunlight.
• Do not soak it and do not machine-wash it. Water left standing on cork is not good for it, so wipe up spills rather than leaving them to sit.
• Keep it away from long exposure to direct sun. Cork can fade over time.
• Store it stuffed with paper so it keeps its shape, in a clean, dry, dust-free place.
• Do not over-fill bags and pouches. Carrying far more than the shape was designed for strains the seams and the handles, and that is wear rather than a fault.

Coasters and placemats

• Wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth and let them dry flat.
• They are not trivets. Do not put hot pans, oven dishes or pots straight from the stove on them — cork sheet is not heat protection.
• Small marks left by glasses and cups are normal on cork, and part of how the material ages.

Hardware

Zips, snaps, buckles and rings are metal.

• Zips: close the zip before you wipe the cloth over it, so the cloth does not catch in the teeth. Keep grit out of the teeth; if a zip feels stiff, brushing the teeth dry is enough.
• Snaps: line the two halves up before pressing, and do not force a snap that is misaligned. Wipe them dry if they get damp.

Metal hardware can pick up small scratches with use. That is normal wear.

What we do not claim

Some words you will not read anywhere on this site, and that is deliberate. We only write what we can show.

• Waterproof, water-resistant, stain-proof. Cork fabric and cork sheet are none of these, and we do not say otherwise.
• Certifications of any kind. No FSC mark and no certificate number appears on our products.
• Eco-friendly, sustainable, recycled, recyclable, biodegradable. Cork is stripped from a tree that is not cut down, and we are glad of that — but that is not a certification and not a lifecycle claim, so we do not make one.
• Leather, or “vegan leather”. Our pieces are cork fabric. We call the material cork fabric and nothing else.
• Handmade. We do not use that word on our product pages.
• A country of origin for the cork or for the finished piece. We do not state one. The registered details of the company behind GLEAMORI are on our Legal Information page.

If a claim is not on our product pages, it is not one we stand behind. If a specific piece matters to you and something is unclear, ask us at support@gleamori.shop before you order.

Product safety

Please keep the following in mind, particularly in a home with young children.

• Our bags, wallets, pouches, coasters and placemats are not toys.
• Small parts — snaps, rings, zip pulls — can come loose with heavy use. Keep them away from young children.
• Do not put straps or cords around a child’s neck.
• Coasters and placemats are not heat protection for pans or oven dishes.

Responsible economic operator in the European Union:

EIRATEXTIL – INDUSTRIA DE CONFECÇÕES, LDA
Lugar do Eirado, 4480-250 Ferreiró, Vila do Conde, Portugal
support@gleamori.shop

For what is covered if something goes wrong, see our Legal guarantee and Returns pages. More short answers are in the FAQ, and you can always reach us through Contact.