Portugal, the world's leading cork producer, is finding new uses for the material as demand for wine bottle stoppers drops. The material is moving into a variety of areas, with furniture designers and builders among those attracted to it. "Cork is a natural material and it possesses absolutely unique characteristics," says Antonio Rios Amorim, CEO of Corticeira Amorim, the world's largest producer, describing cork as "a super material in terms of sound absorption, thermal insulation and comfort". IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES ARRANGED IN SEQUENCES N°36HZ4YK