ECO™ by Cosentino(www.ecobycosentino.com), a leading line of eco-friendly surfacing composed of 75 percent recycled material,introduces four new colors to its stylish color palette, chosen by architects, designers and consumers through social media voting. As the leading manufacturer of quartz, natural stone and recycled surfaces, Cosentino asked its Facebook fans from 14 countries around the world to weigh in on a selection of potential new hues, as the company looked to expand its popular ECO line, which was first introduced in 2009.
The result is an internationally appealing color palette comprised of four shades that evoke the depth and elegance ECO is known for and meet the high performance of quartz and natural stone surfaces, with a superior level of commitment to environmental practices. With these added shades, ECO has reduced is price range, making the brand accessible to even more homeowners seeking beautiful, sustainable design for their kitchen and bath.
The new ECO colors include: Creamstone, a mixture of cream colors that resemble the look and feel of luxurious limestone; Forest Snow, a blend of recycled glass and ceramic pieces mixed with peach, cream, brown and terracotta speckles which was the most-voted-for shade; Grey Moss, a mixture of grey and slate that resembles a contemporary concrete look; and Red Pine, a combination of recycled material against a white background with chocolate and coffee accents which will be available in Cosentino’s new matte finish, Suede-leather.
ECO™ by Cosentino(www.ecobycosentino.com), a leading line of eco-friendly surfacing composed of 75 percent recycled material,introduces four new colors to its stylish color palette, chosen by architects, designers and consumers through social media voting. As the leading manufacturer of quartz, natural stone and recycled surfaces, Cosentino asked its Facebook fans from 14 countries around the world to weigh in on a selection of potential new hues, as the company looked to expand its popular ECO line, which was first introduced in 2009.
The result is an internationally appealing color palette comprised of four shades that evoke the depth and elegance ECO is known for and meet the high performance of quartz and natural stone surfaces, with a superior level of commitment to environmental practices. With these added shades, ECO has reduced is price range, making the brand accessible to even more homeowners seeking beautiful, sustainable design for their kitchen and bath.
The new ECO colors include: Creamstone, a mixture of cream colors that resemble the look and feel of luxurious limestone; Forest Snow, a blend of recycled glass and ceramic pieces mixed with peach, cream, brown and terracotta speckles which was the most-voted-for shade; Grey Moss, a mixture of grey and slate that resembles a contemporary concrete look; and Red Pine, a combination of recycled material against a white background with chocolate and coffee accents which will be available in Cosentino’s new matte finish, Suede-leather.
“With the introduction of these four new ECO colors, we’re proud to provide even more choices for homeowners and designers looking for sustainable, yet beautiful surfacing at an affordable price,” said Lorenzo Marquez, VP of Marketing, Cosentino North America. “The selection of the final color palette is a great example of how Cosentino continually engages its customers and the design community to innovate its products and business.”
Recycled Material
The result of a significant research and development initiative, ECO has been considered an industry pioneer in its commitment to re-thinking how surfacing is produced.ECO is made from up to 75% post-consumer and post-industrial recycled raw materials, 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. The recycled content is then mixed with 25% natural stone including: scrap from mountains, quarries, manufacturing, and fabrication; and is bonded together with a proprietary, eco-friendly resin made in part by corn oil that also eliminates the need for sealants.
By utilizing these recycled materials, Cosentino is “upcycling” products that have reached the end of their lifecycle – meaning that they cannot be incorporated in to any other industrial product and would otherwise collect in landfill sites. According to Cosentino, approximately 3,000 glass bottles equals 1Tn of raw materials. The production of ECO™ is expected to re-use the equivalent of 60,000,000 glass bottles every year. Reutilizing this massive amount of materials prevents it from building up at landfills year after year, and reduces the need to mine for new resources.
ECO can be utilized for a range of residential or commercial projects including kitchen and bathroom countertops, wall cladding or flooring. It has become a leading choice for green surfacing in the architect and design community, most notably with Make it Right foundation projects in New Orleans and Kansas City.
Commitment to the Environment
Cosentino is committed to the continuous improvement and development of eco-friendly processes through innovation and technology, which has earned ECO a number of sustainable certifications including: Cradle-to-Cradle Silver for socially responsible manufacturing standards and environmental practices; GREENGUARD for the assurance of clean air quality and low chemical emissions; and the National Sanitation Foundation certification (NSF 51) for safe food preparation. ECO also can contribute toward LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
In the creation of ECO, Cosentino advanced its environmental standards to a new high, including: minimizing dust emissions in all phases of production; purifying 99% of Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) factory emissions; optimizing water usage through water reclamation processes that allows the company to use 94% recycled water in production processes; and pursuing quarry restoration and mountain reforestation under strict stewardship programs. In addition, all of the packaging and marketing materials created for the promotion of ECO are eco-friendly, made from recycled materials. The enhanced manufacturing processes earned Cosentino a coveted Environmental Protection Declaration (EPD).
ECO is available in jumbo slabs of 63”x 128” and standard tile sizes of 12”x 12”, 18”x 18” and 24”x 24” in three thicknesses: 1.2 cm, 2cm, 3 cm. The jumbo slabs allow for a higher square footage of material per container, therefore minimizing the product’s carbon foot print, and provide a higher yield of material during fabrication, minimizing seams and waste. ECO retails at $54 – $88 per square foot, depending on thickness and color. With the largest manufacturing capacity and distribution in the industry, ECO™ by Cosentinois available in home improvement stores nationwide, in addition to specialty kitchen and bath dealers and distributors across the U.S. beginning in October 2012. ECOoffers a 10-year limited manufacturer’s warranty. For more information on ECO™, visit https://www.ecobycosentino.com/.