Korko connects children with nature in a playful, intuitive way.

Korko: Sustainable toys made from cork

 

Founded: 2021
Brand owner: Hape Group & Amorim
Target group: 0-99 years

Toys made from natural materials

  • Toys made from cork

Puzzle

  • Play mat

Learning & experimenting

  • Building blocks
  • Stacking game
  • Shape sorter

Outdoor & movement

  • Balancing board
  • Bowling set
  • Play mat

Baby and toddler items

  • Shape sorter
  • Play mat
  • Building blocks
  • Stacking game

 

 

Lifestyle products

  • Toys made from cork

Toys made from natural materials

  • Toys made from cork

Puzzle

  • Play mat

Learning & experimenting

  • Building blocks
  • Stacking game
  • Shape sorter

Outdoor & movement

  • Balancing board
  • Bowling set
  • Play mat

Baby and toddler items

  • Shape sorter
  • Play mat
  • Building blocks
  • Stacking game

 

 

Lifestyle products

  • Toys made from cork

Connecting with nature in an intuitive, playful way

The choices made by parents not only influence the way in which children experience and interpret their world, but also shape how they will live sustainably on this planet in the future. The use of natural materials such as cork helps introduce them to the subjects of environmental awareness and sustainability through play. When children play and interact with toys from Korko, they intuitively develop a respect for nature and form a connection with the world they live in.

Range

Developing environmentally-friendly toys is great. But how can it make a difference if they’re not affordable? Our unique production process allows us to offer Korko toys at fair prices without sacrificing on exceptional quality. Alongside building blocks made from cork, the new Korko range includes dexterity games, a play mat and a bowling set made of one of the most sustainable raw materials in the world.

Building blocks inspired by Friedrich Fröbel: Shaping the future

Cork is the material of the future. Korko building blocks foster little ones’ imagination and dexterity and are based on the classic design by Friedrich Fröbel. They come in a range of bright colours and in eight different shapes. Thanks to their light weight and natural non-slip surface texture, Korko blocks won’t fall down as you build constructions you could only dream of making with wooden blocks: hours of playtime fun guaranteed for mini master builders!

Pure nature  

Cork also boasts many other natural positive characteristics. For example, its soft texture, combined with our rounded corners, reduces the risk of children injuring themselves during play. Furthermore, the insulating properties of cork ensure that even the tallest tower poses no danger and barely makes a sound as it falls.

 

All Korko products feel very special in children’s hands as they are particularly warm compared to other materials. On top of this, cork building blocks are non-toxic, anti-bacterial, water-resistant and therefore suitable for even the youngest children to play with. Their anti-static properties prevent dust and other harmful materials from collecting on the surface, making cork products suitable for those with allergies too.

Read more

What sets Korko apart:

 

ECO-FRIENDLY

Sustainability lies at the heart of all Korko toys. They are produced from cork, which is a 100 percent natural material and one of the most sustainable materials on the planet as it is one of the biggest natural absorbers of CO2 in the world.

AT ONE WITH NATURE

Our use of natural materials such as cork and wood supports sensory play. As children explore different surfaces, they develop a relationship with the natural world around them.

EDUCATIONAL TOYS

Children improve their hand-eye coordination, their fine motor skills and develop problem-solving strategies as they play. Furthermore, Korko sparks the imagination of the tiniest tots by opening up a limitless world of playtime possibilities.

SAFE AND DURABLE

As a material, cork is naturally soft and lightweight, making it incredibly safe for the tiniest tots to play with. Furthermore, it’s also unbelievably durable and free from harmful materials.

LOW-NOISE

Because cork is such a lightweight material, Korko products spare parents’ ears as little ones enjoy hours of fun.

MADE IN PORTUGAL

All Korko toys are 100 percent made in Portugal.

 

From our love for nature

Cork is naturally climate neutral. A cork oak retains large amounts of CO2 in its bark. Furthermore, the trees don’t need to be chopped down as they are harvested. Following the harvest, the cork bark will grow back within 9 years. Regular removal of the bark also helps to absorb further CO2 from the atmosphere. In this way, our partner Amorim absorbs up to 4.6 million tonnes of CO2 in its Portuguese cork oak forests per year.

We would like our solutions to contribute added value to people and the environment in equal measure, not only by offering high-quality children’s toys at reasonable prices, but also by growing and harvesting cork with respect for the local ecosystem. This consideration for the environment is so deeply rooted in the cultivation of cork in Portugal that there is even a name for it: montado. This Portuguese term is used to describe this type of agriculture, performed with respect for the ecosystem as a whole, which has been practised for centuries.

 

The sustainable use of the land has created a unique ecosystem and an extremely high biodiversity within the cork forests. It provides the ideal habitat for over 200 animal and 135 plant species, making it one of 36 areas that have been named as biodiversity hotspots. A large proportion of these species are endemic to this area, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world except here, and many of them are classified as endangered by the IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). These include the Iberian lynx, which, with only 52 remaining in the world, has long been listed by the IUCN as an endangered species and is still the world’s most endangered big cat species. The WWF say the montado habitat “has some of the highest biodiversity among any forest habitat and has the highest plant diversity in the world”.

Read more