Natural Cork vs Rawhide
Natural Material · grade comparison
Natural Cork and Rawhide are both natural material grades. Rawhide is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) against 1 MPa (0.16 ksi) for Natural Cork, about 64 times as much. Rawhide is the more ductile: elongation 12% versus 7% for Natural Cork. Natural Cork is lighter (0.16 g/cm³ vs 1.05 g/cm³ for Rawhide) and Rawhide is stiffer (1.2 GPa vs 0.02 GPa). On the shop floor, Natural Cork machines more easily (excellent vs fair).
Natural CorkChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when the part sees heat.
RawhideChoose it when strength drives the design, or when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded.
Natural Cork vs Rawhide: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Bulk Modulus
Poisson's Ratio
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Elongation at Break
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Hardness, Mohs
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Min Service Temperature
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Resistivity
Dielectric Strength
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Corrosion Resistance
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Polishability
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Embodied Carbon (primary production)
Embodied Water
Typical Recycled Content
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Thermal Diffusivity
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every natural material grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | Natural Cork | Rawhide |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $$$ Premium |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Natural Cork vs Rawhide — frequently asked
Is Rawhide stronger than Natural Cork?
Yes. Rawhide has a typical tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) against 1 MPa (0.16 ksi) for Natural Cork — about 64 times as much.
Which is cheaper, Natural Cork or Rawhide?
Both sit in the same relative cost tier ($$$, premium); the part price will be decided by machining time, tolerance and quantity rather than by the material.
Which is easier to machine, Natural Cork or Rawhide?
Natural Cork. Its machinability rates excellent (85/100) against fair (40/100) for Rawhide.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Natural Cork and Rawhide side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.