If the tile countertops of the 80's was replaced with Corian in the 90's and now Granite...what comes next?
If the current Granite Countertop Phase is the replacement for the Corian of 1990’s and Tile of 1980’s…what’s next?
How about Recycled Glass?
Vetrazzo is the original recycled glass surface. Exquisitely repurposed glassWith Vetrazzo Surfaces you can express both your styles and your respect for the earth without compromise. Vetrazzo is 85% glass, and all the glass used is recycled - so it really is good for the environment.
Vetrazzo (the product) was invented in 1996 in Berkeley, California - back when "green" was just a color. Here’s the story:
A glass scientist working on his PhD, driven by his passion for the environment, gets the idea to recapture the inherent beauty of recycled glass by transforming it into a functionally superior building material. He teams up with a like-minded Bay Area architect and they form a partnership to produce Vetrazzo in small, hand-made batches for the local building community.
But word gets around about this stunning, innovative material and soon orders are coming from far away places like the Ritz Carlton hotel in Miami South Beach. Over the years, production moves from garage to warehouse to larger warehouse but try as they might, production capacity can’t catch up with demand.
Fast-forward 10 years. An enthusiastic Vetrazzo customer sees an opportunity to help bring sustainability to the surfacing market in a much bigger way. Armed with passion for her countertop, keen business sense and a large Rolodex, she sets out. It’s not long before a new management team is formed, capital is raised and a new company is built around the wildly successful Vetrazzo product.
In October 2006, the new team, under the banner of Vetrazzo, LLC, opens the doors on a brand new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in a recycled Ford auto plant on the Bay in Richmond, California. A month later, the new era kicks off by shipping the plant’s first Vetrazzo panel to actor and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. for installation on the nationally televised show, “Living with Ed”.
In an era where it’s hard to buy anything that’s not made overseas, Henry Ford would be proud.
Echo Garrett
Triad Distributing NW, Inc.