Portugal is located in the south western part of Europe and it has emerged to be one of the first world nations with good quality living conditions. The cork oak tree is green round the year and they are abundant in Portugal that accounts for about 50% of the world’s cork production.
The cork oak tree is also known as “Quercus suber” which is a slow-growing and long-lived evergreen tree which can grow up to 20m and living up to 250 years of age ! The leaves are dark green with uneven sharp edges and it’s about 4 to 7 cm long.
The bark of the cork oak tree is hardy, rugged and extremely thick. This bark is known as cork, which is harvested in Portugal every 9 years. A new layer will begin to grow as soon as it is removed and hence provide continuous supply.
Cork harvesting is a natural process and the first cork is obtained from its bark when the tree is about 25 years of age, thereafter harvesting for over a century. In Portugal, cork oak trees are preserved and cannot be cut down without the approval by the forestry authority.
Cork is a natural substance and no artificial means are used during the harvest that makes it an entirely natural product. Hence, cork is extremely ecological and thus environmental friendly.
The Portuguese cork is flexible, light, compressible and highly resistant to abrasion. All these characteristics attributes to making high quality shuttlecock which provides excellent acoustic and elastic properties that will be able to withstand the impact of the badminton smashes.