As architects and designers strive to create designs that are both aesthetically pleasing as well as environmentally friendly, stone and tile manufacturers are working to develop materials and methods to assist these goals

Re-using glass
Being green does not mean that the aesthetic look of the product has to be compromised. In fact, glass tiles produced by Ellen Blakeley Studio originated because company owner and artist Ellen Blakeley was drawn to the idea of creating beautiful new tiles from recycled material.

Recycled countertop material
While Blakeley might have been ahead of the curve in the use of recycling material to make new tile, many manufacturers are quickly catching up and introducing innovative new products. For example, Cosentino, a leading manufacturer of quartz surfacing and a large importer of natural stone from around the world, recently launched ECOTM by Cosentino, a revolutionary new line of countertop and surfacing material composed of 75% recycled material.

"Green" marble
And while products consisting of a high content of recycled material have gained in popularity, they are not the only considerations when selecting environmentally friendly building products. Genuine stone can also earn a project LEED points and is the most natural representation of a "green" product.