Renewed Resources: The 2015 California Home + Design Award Winner For Product Design

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Edge from Fireclay Tile puts an old technology to new use. Purchasing an automatic cutting line from a traditional Italian stonecutter, the company invented a way to give its sought-after artisanal handmade tiles a larger format and minimal grout line.

“We often borrow technology from related industries and put it to work in a new way,” says Paul Burns, founder and chief ceramicist. Fireclay Tile, whose products adorn companies such as Whole Foods and Google, is known for its hand-wrought texture, rich glazes, and passion for sustainability. Edge tiles boast a 70 percent recycled clay body made from materials such as post-consumer glass, granite dust, and even porcelain from toilets.

“Manufacturing in California has some economic challenges,” Burns says. “We need to be efficient and smart to compete in a worldwide marketplace. Being a third-generation Californian, I am happy to produce our tiles here.” Available in 12 colorways and three large format field sizes (3”x9”, 3”x18” and 6”x18”).

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