Eco Countertop

Anyone who has gone through a kitchen remodel has faced a curious truth: even in America, where consumerism reigns like a clown at a kids birthday party, it can be impossible to buy what you want.

Discovering the ideal material is pretty easy; it's tracking it down that can be difficult. Manufacturers splash images of their fancy products all over the web without adding those oh so important details like where it can be purchased and for how much. So the consumer is lead on a long, ineffectual chase involving sales reps and mileage checks to the nearest retail outlet. This often ends in the big give up, where the defeated consumer abandons her dreams of the perfect countertop and scuffles off to the nearest home outlet to see what's available. These dashed dreams are especially common when it comes to green building products, which still lack a strong foothold in America's chain retailers.

That's why it was heartening to see that an eco friendly, quartz countertop is now available at Lowe's. ECO™ by Constentino is composed of 75% post-industrial and post-consumer recycled raw material, including mirrors salvaged from houses, building and factories; glass from windows and bottles; granulated glass from consumer recycling practices; porcelain from china, tiles, sinks, toilets and decorative elements; and industrial furnace residuals from factories in the form of crystallized ashes.

Cosentino is "upcycling" products that have reached the end of their lifecycle, cannot be incorporated in to any other industrial product and would otherwise collect in landfill sites. According to Cosentino, approximately 3000 glass bottles equals 1 ton of raw materials. The production of ECO™ by Cosentino is expected to re-use the equivalent of 60 million glass bottles every year,which represents about 20,000 tons of raw materials.

The recycled content is mixed with 25% natural material including stone scrap from mountains, quarries, manufacturing, and fabrication; and is bonded together with a proprietary eco-friendly 22% corn oil resin. The resin is the result of a major research and development initiative, and is unmatched in the market today.

delivers a hard durable surface that has high stain, scratch and scorch performance. Unlike more traditional materials, it is non-porous and does not require sealers. At launch, ECO™ by Cosentino is available in two sophisticated color palettes - the Revive collection and the Green collection - totaling 10 individual designer colors, suitable for both commercial and residential projects. It is also available in both a polished and a matte Leather Texture™ finish.

ECO™ by Cosentino is available in jumbo slabs of 63"x 128" and standard tile sizes of 12"x 12", 18"x 18" and 24"x 24". The jumbo slabs allow for a higher square footage of material per container, minimizing  carbon foot print, and provides

a higher yield of material during fabrication, minimizing seams and waste. The slabs are available in 1.2cm, 2cm and 3cm thickness to respond to varying market needs. Architects and building teams will gain points toward LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for a building project that utilizes ECO™ by Cosentino surfacing. ECO™ by Cosentino is GREENGUARD certified for low chemical emissions.

"ECO by Cosentino closely matches the superior durability of quartz surfaces, exceeds the performance of more conventional materials such as granite and marble, and is dramatically less damaging to the environment. It is the ideal product for today's eco-minded consumer who seeks performance and sustainability, without sacrificing design," said Valentin Tijeras Garcia, Director of Product Innovation, Cosentino.