In an economic climate that has companies hunkering down rather than innovating, sustainability leader Kliptech has spent considerable effort making their EcoTop recycled-paper countertops even more environmentally-friendly and affordable. This extremely durable surface material already received plenty of LEED points for its high recycled content — and at $35sq/ft, EcoTop was a pretty good deal.
So why mess with a good thing?
3form — creator and fabricator of modern, eco-friendly surfaces — is in the middle of Greenweek, which is an annual effort to improve environmental performance within the company. So it makes sense that they would introduce a new material made with used paper cuts. Paper Cut is a Varia Ecoresin with at least 40% pre-consumer recycled content; it’s made in 48″ x 96″ sheets of various gauges. Looks fun!
Earlier this week, Formica announced the availability of high-pressure, decorative laminates with full FSC certification at no additional charge. The new, eco-friendlier laminates are manufactured in plants in Evendale, Ohio and St. Jean, Quebec and may contribute toward LEED credits in the certified wood category.
After cork bark is plugged by the wine industry, it can be fashioned into a durable, high-density slab called Suberra by the folks at the Eco Supply Center in Richmond, Virginia. They compress post-industrial recycled cork grain with a polyurethane binder to create 1-1/4″ composite slabs that are 25-1/2″ wide by 36-1/2″ long.
A new company operating out of the Pacific Northwest, Environite Building Products, recently introduced its signature solid-surface product, Environite. It’s a cast-to-size material made with roughly 90% recycled content — recycled glass and discarded post-consumer and post-industrial materials — and both VOC- and styrene-free, according to the company. Environite is available in several colors, though the white countertop pictured may be hard to beat.
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