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SPEC

From Waste to Aesthetic Tile

These tile collections from Kohler WasteLab are made up of materials diverted from landfills.

By Jennifer Morris Issue 316 - July 2023

Manufacturing processes produce tons of waste, filling landfills and subsequently hurting the environment. Kohler has come up with a way to recycle factory waste into two lines of beautiful, functional tile.

The Crackle Collection by Kohler WasteLAB is the first of two tile collections inspired by this waste-averse mission. Produced using a by-product from high-end china ceramic, the clay is pressed and then hand cut into tiles. A custom glaze applied before firing creates the crackle finish that inspired the collection’s name. Even the glaze itself incorporates leftover glaze collected during the manufacturing of other products. The tiles are available in six colors—Amber, Turquoise, Emerald, Bone, Lake, and Mahogany—and six sizes, including rectangles, squares, and a hexagon. The collection starts at $40 per sq. ft. and is meant for indoor spaces, with the exception of shower walls.

Square emerald green tile
Crackle Collection in Emerald

Hexagon shaped tile in amber color
Crackle Collection in Amber

Made from nearly 100% recycled waste materials, the Abstra Collection is designed to have the look of carved or sculpted clay and includes two style options: Feature, which has raised and relief patterns with an undulating surface, and Standard, which has the same undulating surface without the raised designs. Available in four sizes, this collection also has four brushed-surface colors and seven matte colors. Only the matte finishes are suitable for wet spaces like a shower. Standard tiles start at $50 per sq. ft, while Feature tiles start at $80 per sq. ft.

Creme white tile with intersecting lines
Abstra Tile in Cloud

Sage green tile with intersecting lines
Abstra Tile in Sage

kohlercompany.com

Photos courtesy of the manufacturer


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