MY KORKII "AHA!" MOMENT

Reading time: 4 mins

You know when you get that feeling that you have to do something, that you have to follow your intuition. This is how I felt when I discovered cork. 

I love to travel and I travel a lot. During my journeys, I always keep my eyes open. One of the coutries I visited was Portugal – picture perfect landscape, charming little towns, and exceptional gastronomy. However, there is one more thing Portugal offers and you will not find it anywhere else in such quality. 

ANY IDEAS WHAT THAT COULD BE?

If you guessed cork, you were correct. It is a fascinating material used in various applications and industries – construction, fishing, shipbuilding, and even when building a spacecraft. If you are not a NASA engineer, then you probably know the most common uses of cork are wine bottle stoppers and flooring. If you were, same as me, lucky enough to visit Portugal, I am sure you were overwhelmed with cork handbags, ties, a combination of cork and glass objects, and you enjoyed the famous "um café" served on a cork tray while sitting on a cork chair.

3 PROS AND NO CONS

1st – ORIGIN

I read once that cork is one of nature’s most extraordinary inventions and I could not agree more. It is harvested from Cork Oak trees, which grow in Portugal and are not harmed during harvesting process. Cork bark is harvested every 9-12 years. It is biodegradable renewable resource and our main goal is to use and work with material we get from nature. It is also a powerful ally against climate change! I am proud to say that together with my team we create handmade natural products and all material we use is ecological and certified.

2nd – LIGHTNESS

I am sure that you all already have your own experience with children crying because they got hurt while playing, your neighbour complaining about noise from falling building blocks, you stepping on Lego brick in the middle of the night. Ouch, just those thoughts hurt. None of this happens when a cork is involved. I am fascinated by the lightness and resistance of this material.

3rd – ORIGINALITY

I want to produce original Slovak products, introduce innovative products, and cooperate with other Slovak brands when entering foreign markets. Slovakia is a small country but full of skillful and educated people. I believe in power of cooperation and unity. I am not in business only because of these three reasons. There are many more, but I will tell you all about them later in my blog.

THE BIRTH OF KORKII

Korkii was created sincerely when I became a mom of my little girl Charlotte. She fuels the fire inside of me and tests all my creations. I was observing and studying how she played with my toys. It made me realize what I already knew – adults and children really do see things differently. Unlike adults, children can gain information from their senses. And this is exactly what I notice when I am at trade fairs, in kindergartens, and in workshops. The way children react to my products inspires me and is the framework of my ideas.

I am grateful to all children who show me how to become a part of their world and the world of toys.

KORKII’s SLOGAN

WE THINK GREEN became Korkii’s slogan. We bring nature closer to you by handmade cork products. We minimize waste during production, offer package-free toys and try to give things new life.

Jana Troppová

Founder of Korkii – we think green