Design Within Reach is hosting their annual Champagne Chair Contest, which gives you a chance to not only do some design work of your own, but to actually be recognized for it. The idea is that you have to use a champagne cork and turn it into a miniature chair. The cork, cage and foil are all fair game, but you can only use what comes with two champagne bottles. Entries will be judged on craftsmanship, creativity, character, innovative use of materials, and durability and must be no larger than 4" x 4" x 4". The grand prize is a $1,500 DWR gift certificate and the deadline for entries is Monday, January 15, 2007.

Above are some of the designs from the 2005 contest to give you some ideas.

From the designer who brought us The Crate, this is The Cork. The "very basic, very versatile" cork is a rounded, cylindrical cork available in both high (13.39"H x 12.6" dia.) and low (9.8"H x 17.75" dia.) versions. Too large to be used to stop up that half-drink bottle of wine from dinner, the corks are recommended for use as (very small) seating or as tables. At $300, the corks seem overpriced for what they are, but somewhat less outrageous than the Crate, for all that's worth.

Most wine openers seem to work in about the same way as long as you're buying one of the highly-rated lever models. But the black and silver Screwpull from Le Creuset just doesn't stand out anymore, since the design is so popular. Instead, try using an opener like the Rogar Bronze Cork Pull, is surprisingly lightweight with an antiqued bronze finish. Its design is based on one from the 1890s and is richly engraved with depictions of vines and grapes on the sides. It measures 10 x 8.25 x 8.25-in. Price: $120.

We already knew that cork was getting fashionable, and we've seen it in both handbags and shoes, but one area we never expected to see it was jewelry. This is because the new technologies developed for processing cork have been focus on making it more like fabric or leather and less like... cork. This Cork Cuff makes no bones about its origin. Each piece is carved from a single block of cork is made from recycled product. The cork blocks are individually numbered and included in the purchase of the cuff for storage and/or display. The cuffs come in one size only, but are flexible (not to mention water repellent) and will fit most men's and women's wrists. Price: $48.

[via Treehugger]

Cork continues to pop up in more and more places. Today, it's the material for Lauren Merkin's Eve Cork Clutch. The hexagonal bag, which measures in at a respectable 9.5x4.5-in., making it a rather useful size for a clutch, is covered in thin cork and opens to reveal a pink-striped shimmery lining. The only downside is that the natural cork makes it a bit too casual for evening use and during the day you're likely to have more than a clutch can handle. It would, however, make a great second purse when you're traveling because you're likely to have a larger, plane-friendly bag that you don't want to tote around everywhere after you land. Price: $165.

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece on how the Portuguese cork industry is keeping itself afloat as wine manufacturers increasingly turn to plastic stoppers and other alternative closures for their bottles. It seems that the manufacturers targeted companies that used eco-friendly production materials, from furniture makers to architects, promoting cork as a useful, under-utilized material. This led to cork floorings, couches and even wallpapers.

When fashion designers got wind of how versatile the tree bark was and how much less stiff it was than in the past, they began to incorporate it into their lines, adding novelty and an eco-friendly appeal. Instead of simply mimicking the time-honored trend of making cork heels, designers are now making cork clothing. The material, called "cork leather" or "cork fabric," is made of very thin, pliable cork, often coated with Scotchgard to protect it. It costs nearly half of what leather does, as well as offering a similar feel and longevity to the animal skin. It also can be machine washable.

Stuart Weitzman has natural cork pumps and DDC Lab features a cork leather jacket (pictured) for $2,400, as part of their fall lineup. As eco-consciousness is on the rise at the moment, it wouldn't be surprising to see more cork on the runway in the future.

Elegant without going over the top, these understated sling-back pumps from Christian Louboutin are a great piece to add to your wardrobe before summer hits. The Suede Cork-Heel Slings are a soft suede in a warm, earthy tobacco brown. The base and heel of the shoe, but not the soles, are made of cork, which gives the pumps a natural, down-to-earth look but keeps them light on your feet. These pumps don't have the same punch as, say, the black Balenciaga platform pumps, but the sky high heels will still ensure that all eyes are on you - not just on your shoes. Price $670.