at IIDEX: Recoflex- Flexible Chipboard
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 09.23.05
Our first question was "why? Who would want flexible chipboard?" It turns out that this product, made entirely of recycled rubber and cork, is great for curved furniture, display systems and whatever curveball you can throw at it. So new it is not yet on the company website at ::Regupol but lots of other cool recycled products are.
Hi.
I just wanted to point out a very important aspect of the organic cork versus synthetic debate, which Kara DiCamillo did not mention in her article.
Cork groves are lightly managed habitats that are the main habitat of the most endangered feline in the world: the Iberian Lynx. There are just around 150 left in the wild and they are in danger of dieing out completely within a decade.
Further pressure on what is already a precarious way to make a living - by harvesting cork - may drive this beutiful animal even closer to the brink.
The issue now is not whether sythetic cork can be recycled or not it is whether clearing cork trees in favour of more profitable crops because demand is down due to use of oil-based synthtics is an eco-friendly way to have a glass of wine.
For further information see www.soslynx.org
Thanks and regards,
Catarina Aleixo, Portugal.