Is Cork a Grounding Material?

November 24, 2022 By Mark Hansen

There’s nothing like walking barefoot on a sandy beach or grass to experience the full effects of direct grounding at work. Yet, walking barefoot on the ground isn’t always practical.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t successfully ground with shoes on. While most footwear is made of non-conductive material that prevents the ability to receive electrons from the Earth’s surface, footwear made of cork material allows you to effectively ground when in contact with the Earth’s surface. Discover why cork can make for a good grounding material below.

 

Cork Is a Natural Material Great for Grounding

Cork is a natural material that is derived from trees and allows for grounding. Therefore, cork is an effective grounding material. While cork may not be a common material used in many grounding products like a grounding mat or sheet, cork does provide the perfect material to make for grounding shoes.

When you think of footwear, you may think of rubber-like soles made of non-conductive elements that make it impossible to ground. However, grounding shoes made of cork provide the perfect way to neutralize your body’s imbalance of electrical energy as long as you are walking on the Earth’s surface.

Cork isn’t just a great grounding material for footwear, the cork material also makes for a sturdy, comfortable footbed perfect for providing the support you need wherever you go. Although the thickness of the cork material may raise some concerns in terms of grounding, electrical energy from Earth’s surface is still able to transfer through the cork into your body via the soles of your feet.

 

Birkenstocks are A Popular Type of Grounding Shoe

Most footwear today is made of some form of rubber. Rubber is a non-conductive material that acts as a good insulator. This means that rubber shoes prevent any transfer of electrical energy.

However, as discussed, cork shoes provide the ability to ground while wearing a comfortable shoe that supports and molds to your foot. Birkenstocks are a popular type of grounding shoe that is made of cork and natural latex (another type of grounding material).

 

Which is Better: Wearing a Grounding Cork Shoe vs Walking Barefoot?

While walking barefoot along the Earth’s surface is ideal to receive optimal grounding results, grounding shoes made of cork material still provide effective grounding results.

While cork footwear does allow you to ground outdoors, it’s important to note you cannot ground indoors with cork footwear, unlike some other forms of grounding equipment such as a grounding mat. This is because you cannot connect your grounding shoes to a grounding port via a wire, unlike other types of grounding equipment.

 

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