We supply a number of clients all over the world with cork lids for glass and ceramic candle holders (both conical and lipped cork lids). We also make cork bases to hold candles and you can seem some of the different options that are available for items made of cork which are applicable to other items as well as cork.
Generally speaking agglomerated cork will always be the lowest cork option, because in order to make items out of natural corks requires the use of very high quality cork bark to make them whereas agglomerated cork can be made from all qualities of bark.
-natural cork with bark: this is made from one piece of natural cork bark and includes some of the outside bark to give it the woody finish. This is a very expensive way to make cork products as it requires very high quality cork bark to make it.
–expanded cork: this is a way of making agglomerated cork that is 100% natural. Resinous cork bark from the branches of the tree (rather than the trunk) are granulated and then subjected to heat and pressure, which makes them give up their resin. This resin then binds the granules together. The heat that is applied darkens the granules as well as expanding them. Expanded cork is not as strong as standard agglomerated cork, because the resin is weaker than the synthetic glues used to bond agglomerated cork.
–coarse grain agglomerated cork: this uses relatively large cork granules and includes some higher density (woody) elements of the bark to give quite a rough texture
natural bonded cork: high quality natural cork strips are bonded together to give an organic look and feel to the cork. This is an expensive way to make cork products again because of the quality of the cork needed to make attractive items, such as natural cork boxes
–micro-agglomerated cork: normally used for the production of wine corks and bar-top corks because it offers an exceptionally strength and reliability at a low cost.
If you are interested in making your product from cork (be it cork candle bases or any other cork product) please speak to us for some guidance about the options available.
