Koala Kreations
A vegan business..........
Koala Kreations is a small in-home shop selling one-of-a-kind cork purses, totes, cross body bags, wallets and more.
Why Cork?
Cork, sometimes referred to as cork leather, is a beautiful vegan alternative to leather. It has many of the same properties, but is less expensive than leather. Cork fabric is stain-resistant, water-resistant, scratch-proof, hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, lightweight, incredibly soft, and is also resistant to abrasion, fire, and water
Cork is harvested from the Cork Oak tree, which grows primarily in the West Mediterranean Basin. Portugal is the largest cork producer, containing one third of the world's Cork Oak population. Cork harvesting in Portugal is regulated by law to protect the valuable resource and regulate the quality of the harvest. When the Cork Oak has reached 20 years of age, the bark is stripped from the tree by the hands of a highly skilled harvester. That tree is then marked so that it will not be harvested for another 8-10 years.
The Cork Oak is the only tree that benefits from the removal of its bark and, since it regenerates, it is truly an eco-conscious and sustainable natural resource. In fact, the same tree can be harvested every 8-10 years for over 200 years! Once harvested, the tree absorbs about 5 times the CO2, making harvesting an important process in reducing greenhouse gases.
Once the cork is harvested from the Cork Oak it is boiled, dried, shaved into thin sheets and sealed with a non-toxic sealant.
About Us
Karen
Shop Owner
For a number of years I handmade items as a contribution to a fund raising effort at my church. In early 2020 I was working on donations for that year's event when Covid hit. I kept on sewing on into late 2021. I had so many items that I filled a table and then some. Many people told me that day and since that I should turn my passion into a business. That was the start of Koala Kreations.
I use only high quality raw materiaIs. Nearly all of my items are one- of-a-kind and vegan. Although I may make multiple of the same items, I do not repeat the fabrics or hardware exactly.
