How can I reuse or recycle wine corks?
Another suggestion from SaraR:
Hi guys. Thanks for the great ideas for what to do with the leftover coffee – I told one of my colleagues and now she’s taking it home to use on her garden.
Anyway, I have another one for you based on another of my naughty addictions – red wine. We have a number of cork-corks and plastic-corks lying around the house and add to the number regularly, but I don’t know what to do with them. Do you have any ideas?
We’re not wine drinkers so I’m not terribly au fait with corks or the plastic “equivalents” so any suggestions for SaraR would be very useful indeed.
Best Suggestions
- Reuse: Slice up real corks and use them to make noticeboards and trivets or pop them under wobbly table legs. Alternately, use them at the bottom of plant pots to aid drainage.
- Recycle: Lots of organisations collect cork-corks and synthetic corks. See the comments below for some addresses.
- See the comments below for more suggestions and ideas
(Awesome photo by xml, c/o sxu.hu)
Hi, Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for the corks I have recently receieved, not sure who to thank as there was no note, so I hope you see this message
Thank you, very much appreciated
Kind Regards
frangipan@hotmail.co.uk
you can make it to be a mobile pendant
We’re reusing corks as food label holders. We slice off about 1/4 lengthwise so that it sits flat. Then we slice down 1/2 way into the middle and again just a smidgen over to make a slit along it. Then, simply print out food labels on business cards (or handwrite on the back of old business cards) and wedge them into the slit. Also handy as place card holders.
A friend is collecting corks (We enjoy emptying the bottles in her behalf). She has an old end table that has sentimental value for her. The table is showing its age and rather than sell or toss, she is making a design with prepainted corks in different colors. This can also serve as a trivet.
Decorate with htem small Christmas tree. :)
Wrap in pretty fabric, tie with ribbons to make decorative pillow for a doll.
Make original handles for your furniture.
You could slice them in half either way and fix inside an old picture frame to make a unique cork notice board to pin all those important messages.
I find them frequently. My friend uses them to perfect her whittlin’ skills. I am going to ask her to make me a chess set.
I have a pattern saved from a magazine for a kangaroo, with a joey glove-puppet in its pouch. I make it (out of re-used fabric) whenever I have enough corks, because the pattern includes an Australian hat with corks hanging from it. I donate the toy to charity shops where it is very popular, the corks make an attractive “gimmick” which helps it to sell.
Are there any UK companies who would like to re-cycle our wine corks -apparently there are in the USA.
I made a simple and much needed tool holder for my desk. See pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanwoodswalker/4543547205/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanwoodswalker/4544179648
Its great for the really delicate tools I use daily, and I was tired of the tools “hiding” under my cluttered mess.
I collect cork-corks from my friends. After I have about 350 to 400 corks, I make a wreath.
I get a 12 inch straw wreath form, a box of tooth picks and my glue gun. I put a tooth pick into the hole left by the cork screw in each cork. When I have a bunch ready, I then add a blob of hot glue from the glue gun and then push the toothpick into the wreath. The tooth pick helps stabilize the cork and the glue keeps it in place. By having all the corks on end, the whole wreath reminds me of a hedge hog. The wreaths are pretty substantial in size but really lovely in their simplicity. This method also leaves the end of the cork which came into contact with the wine facing out. You get a nice variation in colors from the ones stained by the red wine.
Four wreathes have been made this way for friends so far. Now I’m saving up to make one for myself.
I actually created a wonderful tool holder shown here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Tool-Holder-Pin-Cushion/
I have also seen frames covered in corks
My family went fishing while at our camp, but forgot the bobbers. My husband thought of the plastic cork and guess what?? Good as a bobber.