Top 10 Eco Friendly Countertop Options

We love our kitchens. They’re the place we go to feed ourselves and our loved ones — a place for telling stories and making connections. Your kitchen surfaces tell a story, too. Why not make sure it’s a story you can be proud to share?

When planning a kitchen build or renovation, there are thousands of countertop materials to consider. Our top ten eco friendly countertop materials are more sustainable and safer to work with than many leading products on the market. If you value sustainability but don’t want to skimp on durability or aesthetic, this is the list for you!

PaperStone– recycled paper and petroleum free resin

PaperStone is one of the most unique surfacing options on the market. Manufactured from recycled paper and petroleum free resin, PaperStone products divert millions of pounds of paper from landfills.

This versatile material comes in multiple sizes and thicknesses. It’s easily cut on-site, making it an ideal material for DIYers and remodelers. Despite being easily cut with woodworking tools, it holds up like stone once installed. PaperStone’s matte finish is a great alternative to traditional glossy stone surfaces.

IceStone – recycled glass and concrete

What if the bottles in your recycling bin turned into someone else’s kitchen counters?

That’s what IceStone aims to do. IceStone diverts hundreds of thousands of pounds of glass from landfills, combining crushed glass with concrete and mother-of-pearl to create stunning slabs.

IceStone is 75% glass by weight and is manufactured in Brooklyn, NY. It is Cradle to Cradle and B Corp certified.

Check out Vetrazzo for a similar sustainable material.

Durat solid surface– recycled solid surface

Durat is a European-designed, US manufactured recycled plastic surface material. Made from up to 28% post consumer recycled content, Durat has diverted over 200 tons of plastic waste from landfills.

Boasting a high-end, unique aesthetic and over 200 color options, Durat is a great choice for any kitchen. If you’re looking for European inspired design, made right here in America, look no further than Durat!

Lapitec Sintered Stone– man-made volcanic slabs

Stains and scratches are a thing of the past with Lapitec’s sintered stone product. Move over, quartz: sintered stone is the hot new commodity! And we do mean hot: sintered stone is manufactured with extreme heat, fusing minerals into an impermeable surface immune to scratching, etching, and stains.

Lapitec features surface treatments that kill harmful bacteria, as well as titanium dioxide technology that breaks down air pollutants. It’s a product that passively cleans your home and protects your family from illness. Best of all, it lasts practically forever and may be used inside or outdoors.

If you’re looking for a unique replacement for conventional quartz countertops, seriously consider Lapitec sintered stone.

eco by Cosentino– recycled glass and resin

Cosentino is better known for its line of non-recycled quartz surfaces, but their “eco” product line deserves more attention. Often available direct from big box stores, eco by Cosentino is manufactured from 75% recycled content, including materials such as mirror, glass, porcelain, earthenware, and vitrified ash.

If you want a quartz-like material with a more sustainable origin story, look no further than eco by Cosentino.

GEOS– recycled glass and resin

Recycled glass and resin surfaces like GEOS are commonly available in big box stores. They are more durable than glass/concrete composite materials, but tend to lack the visual depth of materials like IceStone. Still, the materials are highly durable and attractive while diverting glass from the landfill.

Photo Credit: Richard Barlow Photography

TorZo – infused wood-based acrylic panels

TorZo surfaces are constructed from wood and fibrous materials injected with acrylic to produce a distinctive look that’s ten times tougher than wood.

Common base materials for TorZo products include blue stain pine and sorghum board, which are often leftover post-industrial materials. TorZo surfaces maintain the organic look of wood or fiber-based materials, providing a unique natural aesthetic to your kitchen.

Alkemi – recycled metal shavings in polyester

Metal shavings seem like an unlikely material for countertops. It’s fortunate Alkemi saw an opportunity to repurpose them into something useful.

Alkemi’s surface material embeds metal shavings in clear resin for an interesting recycled look that showcases unique industrial textures. After nearly two decades on the market, Alkemi continues to carve out a niche as a durable countertop and vanity surface product.

Photo Credit: Alkemi

Reclaimed Wood – repurposed woods from some other use

We opened this article talking about the stories told around the kitchen counter. What tells a better story than reclaimed wood?

Reclaimed wood is an excellent surface material for those who don’t mind their counters “wearing in”. If you accept the limitations of natural wood (less durable, easier to stain or gouge, likely to change in color and texture over time) it is a great option for rustic and eclectic kitchen design.

Photo Credit: Modera Sostenible

Bamboo – fast growing, easily regenerated

Bamboo is an interesting emerging choice for sustainable countertops. Under the right conditions, bamboo grows extremely fast and is easily regenerated. It is harder than many hardwoods and comes in a range of colors. Bamboo surfaces may either be more natural and “bamboo-like”, or processed into different textures.

Photo Credit: Alair Homes Vancouver

This isn’t an exhaustive list of quality eco friendly countertop materials, but it’s a good place to start your research. If you have any questions about the brands and products listed here today, reach out to us via live chat or email! We are happy to help you understand each product’s features or to track down suppliers nearest to you.

Do you have a story about your countertop and what it means to you?  We want to hear it!

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