12:00 | 25.01.2010
Washington State Wine Group to Partner with Amorim’s Natural Cork Recycling Program
ReCORK by Amorim, a North American-based wine cork recycling program
sponsored by Amorim of Portugal and SOLE of Canada, announced that the
Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance Board has unanimously selected ReCORK
to collect and recycle used and surplus natural cork wine closures from
their 100-plus members in Washington state.
António Amorim, Chairman of Corticeira Amorim, and the driving force
behind the company’s acclaimed environmental efforts, welcomed this
leading wine trade association to the company’s global recycling
efforts. “It’s always exciting for us to share our commitment to the
environment with like-minded individuals and trade associations like
WWVWA. This program is more than just finding new uses for old corks.
It’s about waking up the planet to the importance recycling and
environmental stewardship play in our everyday lives. We are looking for
ways to extend the life cycle of a natural product and to heighten
awareness of the important role cork forests play in the fight against
global warming. ReCORK gives us the opportunity to tell both stories
through our collaboration with WWVWA.”
The nearly 6 million acres of cork oak forests that dot the
Mediterranean basin are the basis of an ecosystem which is unique in the
world, and which contributes to the survival of many native species of
and plants and animals. It is also a source of employment for tens of
thousands of agricultural workers. In addition, cork forests play a
vital role in the fight against desertification and climate change. By
recycling a simple cork closure, you can visualize the product source,
its evolution into a useful natural product, and its potential for an
extended life far beyond its first use in a bottle of fine wine.
Elizabeth Martin-Calder, Executive Director of WWVWA, believes this
recycling effort touches the very core of sustainability. “When you
consider there are 13 billion natural corks sold into the world market
each year, most of which find their way into already overcrowded
landfills, it just makes sense to find new uses for this, until
recently, under-appreciated resource. As a grower and winery trade
association, with a commitment towards sustainable farming and winery
operations, it feels appropriate for us to take the lead in promoting
this kind of initiative through our members.”
Amorim’s ReCORK and their Canadian marketing partner SOLE have teamed up
to bring new life to old wine corks in the form of a new line of
cork-blended footwear products and packaging materials, to be released
in the first quarter of 2010. SOLE is a leading manufacturer of footwear
products, with distribution throughout North America. Their products are
used by sport enthusiasts around the globe and include dozens of
professional teams in the NFL and NBA. For more information, visit www.yoursole.com.
The Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance (WWVWA) is a grower and winery
membership organization committed to furthering the awareness of the
quality wineries, wines, and vineyards of the Walla Walla Valley
Appellation. Their mission is to support and promote quality and
excellence in their industry and to further national and international
recognition for their region. For more information, visit www.wallawallawine.com.
ReCORK is a North American-based wine cork recycling program sponsored
by Amorim of Portugal and Amorim’s U.S. sales affiliates, Amorim Cork
America (www.amorimca.com)
and Portocork America (www.portocork.com).
More information about ReCORK can be found online at www.recork.org.
Another excellent source of information on natural cork can be found at www.corkfacts.com
and www.corkqc.com.
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