INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE PROMOTION OF CORK FROM VOICE TO THE PROTAGONISTS

The first event dedicated to cork was the one that took place on Friday 8 October at the VOLVO STUDIO MILANO and which is part of the international campaign for the promotion of cork, supported and financed by APCOR (Portuguese Association of Cork). and, for Italy, by ASSOIMBALLAGGI - Federlegno / Arredo. A campaign that cut the ribbon in 2021 and which sees the involvement of target countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, France, China and the USA. Thanks to special speakers, the talk show entitled " Life in a CORK: between history, sustainability and prospects of an evolving market " wanted to deepen the qualities of cork intended as a material with extraordinary characteristics in favor of taste and charm and to make known the value that this material contains from an environmental point of view. The debate was animated by some of the protagonists of the campaign who, each for their own sector of expertise, brought content, experiences and substance to what now appears to be an incontrovertible fact: cork is appreciated and recognized in the world as a material. natural, renewable, recyclable, reusable as well as emblem of a circular economy among the most virtuous in the world . As noted by Joao Rui Ferreira, vice president of APCOR , to date the average production of cork in the world is about 200,000 tons and world exports of this material have a value that is around 1.8 M euros, supplying 70% of the world markets for closures. A strategic and niche sector of growing importance. An international campaign with a strong environmental value is the one that characterizes cork in its fourth year of production and which, as explained by Gennaro Buonauro, General Secretary of Assoimballaggi , has the precise objective of communicating to the final consumer how much this material represents one of the most virtuous of circular and sustainable economy: a life cycle that starts from the cork forests and which, with extraction methods that are not predatory but respectful of ecosystems, is able to offer a product that is not only 100% recyclable but also suitable for multiple uses and applications. " From January 1, 2022 - explains Buonauro - the obligation for all packaging manufacturers to indicate the identification code of the material will come into force in Italy. For the cork stopper the code is FOR 51 indicating that the cork we are in in your hands it is made of cork and, therefore, recyclable. FOR51 stems from a European directive that Italy has implemented so stringently that it is the only country to make it mandatory. An important milestone that expresses its strong environmental and sustainable value of this material and in which the whole supply chain is believing with conviction " . Alessandro Canepari , representative of the Assoimballaggi Cork Group , also recalled that talking about cork also means putting the conservation of an ecosystemic heritage of primary importance at the center. " It should be remembered that cork is a resource that is born and grows in the Mediterranean basin, a precious material, the result of a millenary tradition and linked to a non-predatory but respectful and conscious agricultural activity. to absorb more than 14 million tons of CO2 every year, represent one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots, the natural habitat par excellence of many animal and plant species. The cork oaks also play a very important role in the fight against impoverishment and desertification in favor of sustainable development as well as generating induced activities that employ more than 2500 people in Sardinia and generate a turnover of 200 million euros . " The talk then investigated the now centuries-old bond that unites cork with the world of wine and which, thanks to its innate characteristics of insulation, elasticity and recovery of compression, is today the most used material for bottle closures. " In the world - says Canepari - 7 bottles out of 10 of these are closed with a cork, a total of 13 billion. The same is true for Italy, whose production, which is expected to reach 3 billion bottles, sees 70 % plugged with this material. "Two interesting testimonies were brought to the end of the event. On the one hand Giorgia Pontetti , aerospace engineer, co-founder and CEO of Ferrari Farm , who carried out an in-depth study on the topic of sustainability and on the alternative uses of cork, highlighting the multiplicity of uses that cork lends itself to: from the sector construction and aerospace, its characteristics respond effectively and sustainably to various needs like few other materials can do. On the other, Maddalena Bigolin , social media manager of the Cantina Pizzolato di Treviso who talked about the circular sustainability project connected to their new line of wines in which every element of the bottle has been designed and created to minimize the impact on the environment. and where the chosen cork allows to compensate for a CO2 level equal to 297 grams. A dense event, therefore, which laid the foundations for what will be the themes that the international cork campaign will continue to deepen over the next few months through numerous activities thanks to which enthusiasts, press and wine lovers will be able to discover and approach in an exciting and engaging in this material of a thousand qualities as well as exploring extremely topical issues.

WHO IS APCOR? Portuguese Cork Association representing and promoting the Portuguese Cork Industry. It is a national trade association founded in 1956 and based in the north of Portugal. APCOR's mission is to promote and develop cork as a raw material of excellence, as well as all cork-based products. Corks are the most renowned product of the cork industry, with over 12 billion bottles of wine closed each year with this material. The cork has in fact been the closure par excellence of wine for many years thanks to its unique properties: it helps to better preserve the natural characteristics of the wine and offers a quality and premium wine drinking experience. Cork stoppers, which are characterized by being natural, reusable and recyclable, are considered the preferred type of closure by over 70% of wine producers.

WHO IS ASSOIMBALLAGGI? Assoimballaggi is the Italian National Association of the wood and cork packaging industries. The companies operate in different sectors and are grouped into 4 product categories that are homogeneous: Industrial Packaging, Fruit and Vegetable Packaging, Pallet and Cork. Assoimballaggi's mission is the economic promotion of the sector through studies and research, interventions in the political world on problems relating to the economy or the environment and through acculturation actions for the promotion of a healthy and effective forestry policy. The companies that join and participate in the cork promotion campaign are: Mureddu, Molinas, Amorim Cork Italia, Lafitte Italia, Colla & Fresu, Artigiansughero, Sugherificio LT ,; Belbo Corks, Artisan Cork Factory, Fois Cork Factory, Bussolengo Cork Factory and Company Cork.