Globally, there's an estimated 2.3 million hectares of cork oak forest. Of those, about 716 thousand hectares are located in Portugal (22.5% of the national forest area) and half of the world's cork production is Portuguese.
Cork is a wonderful vegan alternative to leather, as it is a sustainable, high-quality material that is made to be durable and resistant. Besides being waterproof, elastic, fire resistant and unique in its appearance, it is a naturally harvested material!