Fascination of nature
Bark Cloth tree bark fleece, a textile without any additives.
Exactly one cloth is created from the bark of one tree. The harvesting of the bark and its subsequent processing are carried out exclusively by handwork. Only if trained hands were at work during harvest and processing, can we offer nature in perfection. For not everyone is master of the great art of tree peeling and the ancient, traditionally handed down knowledge of bark processing.
In contrast to most other nature-based solutions available on market, this so-called monomaterial does not contain any binders, dyes or other additives. It contains the bark fiber only, which is chemically broken down to cellulose, hemicellulose, tannins and traces of minerals.
On the production side, each square meter of Bark Cloth requires less than one liter of water. Since it is produced with muscle power only, and since the basic metabolic rate of a hard working man is only slightly higher than the metabolic rate of a man, resting lazy in a hammock, its production is CO2 – neutral. And if the natural CO2 – binding effect of Mutuba trees is included in the carbon footprint, Bark Cloth manufacturing is even CO2 – positive. No other textile offers such a favorable eco balance.
BARK CLOTH_tuno_0170 originates from the biosphere reserve of Rio Patuca at the border region of Honduras and Nicaragua, the largest coherent primary rainforest north of the Amazon.
It is beige and of extraordinary strong texture. Traditionally, it is produced by members of the Miskito and the threatened Tahwaka people, a people with a population of only a few thousand. Day-long trips by canoe are required to procure it. Within the scope of a development aid project in cooperation with the GIZ, an implementation agency of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, we are currently procuring small amounts of this noble, scarce material. The ability for delivery is not yet constant, so we advise against the development of industrial applications with this material. It is however suitable for projects where smaller quantities of an extraordinary material with a strong haptic experience are sought.
Discover a unique material
Each piece is an exquisitely handcrafted individual, telling you its own story
Designers and architects value the expressive character, unique texture and sensual tactility of the bark cloth tree bark fleece. Depending on lighting conditions, angle of viewing, finishing, and temperament of its producer the soft, moldable cloth changes from the supple, but robust charm of leather to the translucent and graceful lightness of filmy fleeces.
“The allure of this exceptional material comes from its inimitable structure and the fascinating game played between ancient authenticity and state-of-the-art finishes and uses… It is ideal to serve for products and architectural projects where individuality plays a central role”
Humberto Campana
Pure and real, thousands of years old, though ahead of its time, it concentrates style and design down to the bare essentials. For whichever application, you are sure to use a unique masterpiece.
Product details
Size: | approx. 2000 x 3000 mm, special sizes available |
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Thickness: | 0,3 – 3,5 mm |
Material: | bark cloth |
Characteristics: | translucent, heat resistant up to 200 ºC, three-dimensionally deformable |
Sustainability criteria
Country of origin: | Uganda |
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Origin of materials: | Uganda |
Function: | healthy, low-emission, natural, circular ability, CO2 neutral, suitable for allergy sufferers |
Certificates: | Bark Cloth® eco is the only worldwide certified Bark Cloth® from controlled organic cultivation (EU Standard 2092/91). The production takes place according to the guidelines of the ILO (International Labor Organization) and SA 8000. Standards for Bark Cloth® production are controlled through an elaborate certification process by a German IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements)-accredited certification company. |
Manufacturing processes: | since 1990 with organic farmers monomaterial without any binders, dyes or other additives, less than 1 l/sqm water usage, CO2 neutral, BarkTex: using additives which are strictly either self-made or produced in Germany, income is generated in a structurally weak region, fair price-performance ratio |
Collaborations: | with reknown universities and research institutions, such as Design Academy Eindhoven, London Metropolitan University, Parsons New York, NASA, ESDI Rio de Janeiro, Fraunhofer, Steinbeis or the German Aerospace Centre |