Founded in 2018 by Cristiana and David, SOBRI is an independent brand based in Porto, Portugal.
Our goal is to impact the notion of what it means to be sustainable, in a society of unsustainable actions, through one of the most extraordinary natural raw materials, cork, which can be experienced in many ways.
SOBRI operates in three areas (product development, accommodation, and events) to create a resilient business with a positive local impact that does not depend on collections or seasonality.
We believe that sustainability is not just about choosing the right materials, but about a broader vision that includes the local community, the carbon footprint of the entire value chain, and the appreciation of the know-how available in Portugal. Therefore, we work to combine cork with other organic materials, manual production, technological innovation, and design, to create, in the most responsible way possible, timeless and genderless products, with superior quality and durability.
WHY CORK?
Cork is the bark of the cork oak.
It is a 100% natural plant tissue consisting of a hive of microscopic cells containing a gas identical to air and coated primarily with suberin and lignin. It has a range of applications associated with its attributes that no technology has yet managed to emulate, match or exceed.
It is a 100% natural raw material, that is 100% reusable and 100% recyclable, extracted from cork oaks without harming the normal development of the species and without damaging the tree. The life cycle of cork as a raw material begins with the extraction of the cork oak bark, which is called harvesting.
Cork enters the manufacturing process after it is extracted, to produce the myriad of products that we can find: stoppers, construction and design, among many others. The extracted cork is 100% harnessed. Once processed, into stoppers, for example, cork can also re-enter the production process.
Intrinsic Properties: Lightweight, Impermeable to liquids and gases, Elastic and compressible, Excellent thermal and acoustic insulator, Slow burning, Antistatic and anti-allergic, wear-resistant.
WHY ORGANIC COTTON?
Organic Cotton is one of the materials we use hand in hand with cork in SOBRI products.
An organic cotton farming system is a production that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It is based on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions, instead of using artificial elements, such as pesticides and other chemicals that cause adverse effects.
The cultivation of organic cotton, according to Textile Exchange (2014) presents some significant environmental benefits in comparison to the cultivation of conventional cotton:
- 46% reduction in global warming resulting from cotton farming, since there is no use of herbicides, pesticides, excessive irrigation, etc.
- 70% reduction in acidification of soil and water in the area surrounding the cotton crop.
- Natural increase in soil and organic matter fertilization automatically increases the uptake of carbon from the atmosphere.
- 91% reduction in water consumption, since 80% of organic cotton crops use only rainwater.
HOW ORGANIC FARMING SYSTEMS WORK
Organic Cotton Life Cycle Assessment - photo sourced from: AboutOrganicCotton.com
The Organic Cotton we use in SOBRI products is GOTS certified (Global Organic Textile Standard certification). This certification is the most restricted in the market for organic products, where all stages of the textile process are integrated, from the production/cultivation of the fiber to the finished product.
This guarantees that cotton production is organic, without the use of chemicals and toxic products, and cotton processing plants also work under strict guidelines where there is a strong control of residues, which cannot be released into nature without any treatment, and are regularly audited.
Furthermore, working conditions are a crucial point, and it is guaranteed that all workers are treated fairly, have safe conditions, do not work excessive hours, and receive an adequate salary.
GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD
You can find out more about organic cotton HERE
