Sustainability Policy
Cork, Organic Cotton & Steel
The Power of Cork
Cork is the outer bark of the Cork Oak Tree, a species unique to the Mediterranean region. It is a material defined by its extraordinary properties: it is thermic, acoustic, elastic, and resistant to abrasion. Beyond its durability, cork is naturally hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and impermeable to gases and liquids. Most importantly for our planet, it is 100% biodegradable and recyclable.
An Ecological Treasure
Approximately 6.6 million acres of cork forest stretch across Portugal, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia, and France. These forests support one of the world’s highest levels of biodiversity, second only to the Amazonian Rainforest.
Ethical Harvesting & Zero Waste
The process of producing cork might surprise you—it is a lesson in patience. Cork Oaks remain untouched for their first 30 years. Once mature, they are harvested only every 9 to 12 years. Not a single tree is ever cut down; instead, the bark is carefully stripped by hand, allowing the tree to regenerate. These harvested trees can live for up to 300 years, absorbing up to five times more carbon dioxide than non-harvested trees.
This manual process provides over 100,000 fair-wage jobs. It is also a zero-waste industry: residue is granulated for other products, and even cork dust is used as fuel.
Did you know?
"Not a single tree is ever cut down; instead, the bark is carefully stripped by hand, allowing the tree to regenerate."
From Forest to Mat
A glimpse into the centuries-old tradition of cork harvesting in Portugal.
A freshly harvested cork oak reveals its inner bark, ready to regenerate over the next decade.
Skilled harvesters carefully strip the bark by hand—no tree is ever cut down.
Raw cork bark on the forest floor, naturally dried before processing.
Harvested cork planks are transported for natural curing—sun, wind, and rain do the work.
Our Clean Production Process
Our cork is sourced from partners in Italy, Portugal, and Spain using strictly eco-friendly methods. The harvested planks are stacked in piles for up to six months, exposed to sun, wind, and rain to stabilize naturally. They are then boiled at high temperatures to clean and soften the material without the use of harsh chemicals.
This natural processing ensures high hygiene standards. Our cork displays powerful antibacterial activity, showing a 96.93% reduction in Staphylococcus aureus after 90 minutes, and a consistent 36% reduction in Escherichia coli.
Handloomed Organic Cotton
Not everything we make is cork. Our Kaya Heritage rugs are woven from organic cotton yarns — cotton grown without synthetic pesticides — on a handloom, in the classic Indian tradition. A handloom is worked by hand rather than driven by a mill, which is slower by design and part of why each rug carries small variations no machine would produce.
The colours come from Ayurvedic herbal dyes rather than synthetic pigment, which is why they soften rather than fade harshly over years of practice. Each rug is finished with a rubber-weaved underside so it holds its place on any floor, and the whole thing can be machine washed and line dried.
At the end of a long life, cotton is fibre. It returns to the earth in a way a petrochemical laminate never will.
Steel, Cork & Bamboo
Our Kala and Sukhla bottles are double-walled 18/8 stainless steel, wrapped in a natural cork sleeve and closed with a bamboo lid. No plastic in the drinking path, and no plastic in the lid — the part most “eco” bottles quietly keep.
The cork sleeve is there for a practical reason as much as an aesthetic one: bare steel is slippery with sweaty hands and uncomfortable to hold when the contents are very hot or very cold. Cork solves both, which is what makes the bottle one you actually keep reaching for.
That matters more than the materials do. A reusable bottle only earns its footprint by being used — so we build ours to last and back them with a five-year warranty.
The honest version
“The greenest bottle is the one you already own. The second greenest is one built well enough that you stop replacing it.”
Our Commitment to the Planet
Kaya Eco Living is committed to a plastic-free future. Our products are vegan and shipped using recycled paper packaging. To further minimize our footprint, we actively participate in carbon offset projects focused on reforestation and forest preservation to balance emissions from shipping.