(Guest Column by Steve Khan) Most tile shoppers have gotten used to the fact that in the past the only available tile to choose from was made from either ceramic or porcelain. Homeowners will now be pleased to know that in the last two to three years there has been an explosion of new products on the scene, many being made from Recycled materials derived from wood, glass, metals and more.

The downside of all of the new choices coming on the market is that consumers wishing to purchase “green” materials are left wondering how and where to begin their search. With words such as “sustainable”, “recycled”, “post consumer” and reclaimed” moving in to everyday lexicon, it is easy to understand why many consumers are perplexed at the available choices. In spite of the fact that there are no official definitions our primer below should serve as a nice starting point for those shopping for eco-friendly green tiles and other building materials.

Renewable: renewable materials are those that come from naturally derived sources that renew quickly.

Green: Green refers to a substance or manufacturing method that utilizes renewable, sometimes raw materials and/or recycled material or energy sources.

Post Consumer: Post consumer material comes from a city’s’ residents discards which are collected by municipalities, community recycling centers, and other community based sources.

A small sample of the tile choices made from these materials include Bamboo tile from renewable forests, stunning glass tiles made from recycled glass, and metal tiles made from recycled bronze radiators and piping.

Most recyclers collect materials in a range of colors because that is what we as consumers are turning in to our local recycling centers. As a result, recycled product manufacturers are able to produce finished products with more variety and color that simply can not be found in regular production materials. The Blaze collection of Recycled glass tiles (shown above) are made from Post Consumer glass. Or, one can add a contemporary look with the Kimono collection of Bamboo tiles from renewable forests (shown on right). Finally, a great choice to add a touch of luxury to any bath is the River Crystals Glass Tile liners collection made from 100% post industrial glass tile. (shown on left)

Purchasing eco-friendly tiles made from recycled materials is a wonderful way to contribute to improving the environment without having to sacrifice style or luxury, and should be a consideration for eco-aware homeowners when they plan their next kitchen or bath design project.

Guest Columnist: Steve Khan, President and Founder of AnchorBayTile ( a Chandler, Arizona online tile showroom), has been in the tile business for more than five years. Steve enjoys providing customers with unique tile selections; He loves to hear from customers who’ve learned about buying and installing tile at the AnchorBayTile learning center.

Product pricing and information:

• Kimono collection of Bamboo tiles
  
• River Crystals Glass Tile
• Blaze collection of Recycled glass tiles

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