We say things like pop the champagne because the only thing standing between you and celebration is… cork. A material we rarely think about — until, of course, someone fumbles the wine opener and leaves your glass full of floating bits. But beyond bottle stoppers and elementary school bulletin boards, cork is having a moment in furniture design — and it’s more sophisticated than you might expect.

Cork surfaces are “often touted as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional furniture materials like hardwood or plastic, and for good reason,” says interior designer Nina Lichtenstein. Unlike other woods, which require felling entire trees, cork is harvested from the bark of cork oak trees, which naturally regenerate every nine to twelve years.

“This process not only makes it an endlessly replenishable material but also allows cork oak forests to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, playing a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gases,” Nina continues. It’s also water-resistant and recyclable — among nature’s most stylish sustainable living solutions.

Beyond its eco-credentials, cork’s got a distinctive speckled look, an avant-garde attribute you can spot it in curated interior locales like the MoMA Design Store.