Coloring
(Printing)
Coloring cork can be done in several different ways: using autoclaved material (ie: ‘black’ cork), staining/painting, pigmenting the granules, or printing directly on the cork.
The process of staining or painting cork is no different than staining or painting another species of wood. The result will be similar – you only get a lot more ‘design’ choices when using cork (due to all the different patterns that the cork raw material can be made into).
Color-infusion is a new technique using pigmented material. The value of through-color cork really manifests itself when it is used in the 3-dimensional molding fabrication technique. When done properly, the entire exterior perimeter of the pigmented product will have a consistent color intensity.
And, if chipped or cut in half, that color would be in the inside as well.
(Natural and autoclaved)
(Granule pigmentation)
(Staining/painting)
Cork can also be printed upon, though this is typically reserved for the handbag, personal accessory, and the sporting goods market segments. VGL can easily be run through a laser printing process, so your creativity or created design can easily be transformed onto the cork surface.
