Wine Cork Recycling in Indy at The Rejoicing Vine
- Brent
- Jan 19
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Wine Cork Recycling in Indy
If you’ve ever wondered what to do with your leftover wine corks (besides turning them into questionable Pinterest crafts). Up until now there weren't many options in the Indy area to recycle your cork but that's changing. The Rejoicing Vine is now an official wine cork recycling drop-off site for the Indianapolis area - check it! Indy.gov
Through a partnership with ReCORK—North America’s largest natural cork recycling program—we’re making it easier than ever to keep corks out of landfills and give them a second life as shoes, yoga blocks, flooring, and more. And yes, we’re one of only a few locations in the Indianapolis metro area where you can recycle them.
Why Recycle Cork?
Cork isn’t just a bottle stopper — it’s a 100% natural, renewable, and biodegradable material made from the bark of cork oak trees. But here’s the wild part: harvesting cork doesn’t harm the tree. In fact, cork oaks are like the streakers of the forest — the bark gets gently stripped off, leaving the tree temporarily… well, naked.
But don’t worry — the tree is totally fine, unashamed and unbothered by its nakedness (maybe even a bit a little proud). 🌳 Some say it blushes. Others say it flexes. Either way, it regenerates its bark every 9–12 years and keeps on growing strong — which means we can keep popping bottles without guilt.
By recycling corks, you’re keeping a valuable material out of landfills and giving it new life — whether that’s as flooring, shoes, yoga blocks, or even more wine products (yes please).
By recycling your corks with us, you’re helping:
Reduce landfill waste
Support the production of sustainable consumer goods
Contribute to carbon-negative initiatives
How It Works
It’s easy:
Save your natural wine corks (more on that below)
Drop them off at our Indianapolis tasting room (8440 W 82nd St)
Feel good knowing you’re helping make wine a little more sustainable!
You can find us listed as a drop-off location on the official Indianapolis Recycling 101 website as well.
📍 Located just north of Indianapolis right off both I-65 and I-465, we’re less than 30 minutes from almost the entire Indianapolis area. And if you live in North or West Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville, Whitestown, or Brownsburg we are only minutes away.
Know Your Wine Corks
Did you not all the corks you pull from your bottle are recyclable? In fact some of them are made of non-recyclable plastics. ☹️ Only 4 of the 8 types of corks can be recycled. Here's an overview:
The following corks are recyclable. If you're buying wine from a producer that uses corks look for these types:
✅ Champagne Corks - Bubbles and recylcing? Just our style!
✅ One-Piece Natural Corks - The OG of corks, made from a single plug of bark.
✅ Agglomorated Corks - Made from smaller bits of cork adhered together, perfectly recyclable and helps the wine industry make more complete use of the cork harvested.
✅ Twin-top Agglomorated Corks - Similar to agglomorated but has slices of one-piece cork at the top and bottom. Recyclable!
Often found on cheaper wines and if that's not enough reason to avoid them, look out because these corks aren't recyclable through ReCORK
❌ Waxed Corks - Natural cork but with a wax coating which cannot be recycled
❌ Diam Corks - Specific brand of agglomorated cork that ReCORK cannot recycle.
❌ Synthetic Corks - Made from plastics like polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), avoid wines packaged using these types of corks
❌ Plastic Topped - Unsual in the wine world, more common with distilled spirits but still not recyclable
If you're unsure feel free to bring them in and we can help you.
Sustainability is in Our Roots
If you've followed us at all you'll know at The Rejoicing VIne sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a way of life. From regenerative farming practices to reusable wine kegs, we’re committed to shrinking our footprint and inspiring others to do the same. Our partnership with ReCORK is just one more way we’re turning that mission into action, check out the other ways here:
Stop By & Sip Sustainably
Wine cork recycling in Indy just got a lot more convenient so don't pitch those corks! The next time you visit us for a tasting or to grab a bottle of our wine, bring your corks with you! Small actions make a big difference—and we’re here to celebrate every one of them (preferably with a glass in hand).
Want more eco-tips and wine news?
Let’s raise a glass to a cleaner, greener Indiana—one cork at a time. ♻️
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