Cork industry in the Algarve
Image gallery of the cork industry of the Algarve, the former centre of cork in Portugal: cork oaks and harvest, cork production and products, cork museum
Cork oak
Alportel: Cork oak forest
The forests around São Brás are naturally grown, producing the highest quality of cork
Cork tree
Only the main trunk is harvested regularly
Cork tree
Only the main trunk is harvested regularly
Cork tree: mark
The number indicates the year of the latest harvest (2008), and C.M. stands for Câmara Municipal
Cork harvesting
Every seven years a part of the cortex of the cork ork is excoriated.
Cork: A pure natural produce of Portugal
Cork factory in Mesquitas
After the harvest, the cork bark is stored outside for several months before it is processed.
Cork factory
The bark is selected and cut by hand
Cork factory
At the left side bundles of processed cork of 65kg each are stapled to be delivered to other factories for final processing. The pile of cork bark in the background is cork of superior quality that needs selection and finishing by hand.
Bunch of preprocessed cork
Cork stoppers
Only the expert can distinguish the quality of the cork used to cork a bottle
Silves: Cork factory
Until the beginning of the 20th century, Silves used to be an important centre for the Portuguese cork industry with over 20 factories employing more then thousand people.
São Brás: Museum of Traditional Costumes
Expositions of various traditional costumes of the 19th and 20th century, sacral arts, historical vehicles and agricultural utilities of the region in the former manour house of a cork dealer
São Brás: Museu do Traje
Exhibition of ancient cork harvesting and processing
São Brás: Museu do Traje
This donkey cart was used to transport the harvested cork bark
São Brás: Museu do Traje
Ancient scale for cork bark
São Brás: Museu do Traje
Ancient tub to cook the bark and press