The fabrics
The Arsayo bags are made out of natural cork from Portugal or appleskin, and we use organic cotton (GOTS certified) for the lining. For all collections, we choose the best eco friendly material that is respectful to the environement, the humans and the animals.
Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree that grows in Mediterranean countries.
The cork oak forests are located mainly in Portugal.
The cork is harvested with great care and present unique carteristics :
● waterproof
● thermal and acoustic isolation
● elasticity, compressibility and lightnes
● 100% natural and biodegradable
The cork oak forests in Portugal are considered as national heritage. The cork oak tree is legally protected and is forbidden to kill them.
The environmental impact of cork is exceptional as it is positive in terms of carbon consumption. A cork oak tree absorbs 2.5 to 4 times more CO2 than a regular tree.
It is estimated that the cork forest fixes up to 14 million tons of CO2 per year.
Portugal represents 35% of the world's cork production, it is an economic boom for these rural areas.
In addition, the landscapes of these forests are one of the best examples of preservation of an ecosystem (endemic plants such as lavender, oregano, rosemary, mint, campanula ... and rare animals such as the Iberian lynx, the deer, the red partridge, the cuckoo jay, the circaete Jean-le-Blanc ...).
Our Mela collection is made our of AppelSkin TM, also called apple leather. Resistant, waterproof and innovative, this material, made in Italy from apple residue, has the aesthetics of leather. Learn more in this article.
Our linings are made of organic cotton, certified by the GOTS label, and woven in Portugal. Organic cotton offers up to 91% water savings compared to conventional crops. The absence of pesticides guarantees the health of workers and soils.
