Traditionally the foremost use for cork has been in bottle stoppers (approximately 80% of the total production) but since the introduction of the screw-top wine bottle and developments in synthetic replacements, the demand for cork has been in decline to the point that in some places (for instance in Portugal’s certain regions) its production has nearly disappeared, along with the knowledge of maintaining the forest and the skill of harvesting the trees. The cork granules are part of the basic cork harvest and drying process, where the unsold pieces or leftovers get granulated.