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FIRECLAY TILE
Defining artisan at scale, from tile manufacturing through installation
California tile maker adds installation component managed by former NTCA President Martin Brookes
by Lesley Goddin, Editorial Director and Senior Writer
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First, some history. And many firsts!
\nThe company now known as Fireclay Tile hearkens back to a family tradition of artists, and the Stonelight Tile company, a San Jose-based tile factory with roots going back to the 1920s. When he was 10, eventual Fireclay Tile founder Paul Burns started apprenticing with his uncle, owner of Stonelight. In 1986, with a team of three friends, he started making hand-glazed tile in San Jose, establishing Fireclay Tile.
\nRoots for the conscientiousness and commitment that Fireclay exhibits and exemplifies today were evident early on. Fireclay became the first tile company to introduce 100% lead-free glazes in 1988. The company eventually moved most of its production to its Aromas, Calif., factory where it now produces its Original Ceramic, Handpainted, and Glazed Thin Brick products.
\nIn 1999, it developed its first recycled clay body, and recycling continues to be a foundational characteristic of the company. In fact, last year Fireclay recycled one million pounds of tile waste, plastic waste, PPE, and compost waste, achieving a 91% diversion rate. And by selling its Factory Sale Tile online, it diverts overproduced tile away from landfills and into inspired projects at a significantly discounted rate.
\nThe company now known as Fireclay Tile hearkens back to a family tradition of artists, and the Stonelight Tile company, a San Jose-based tile factory with roots going back to the 1920s. When he was 10, eventual Fireclay Tile founder Paul Burns started apprenticing with his uncle, owner of Stonelight. In 1986, with a team of three friends, he started making hand-glazed tile in San Jose, establishing Fireclay Tile.
\nRoots for the conscientiousness and commitment that Fireclay exhibits and exemplifies today were evident early on. Fireclay became the first tile company to introduce 100% lead-free glazes in 1988. The company eventually moved most of its production to its Aromas, Calif., factory where it now produces its Original Ceramic, Handpainted, and Glazed Thin Brick products.
\nIn 1999, it developed its first recycled clay body, and recycling continues to be a foundational characteristic of the company. In fact, last year Fireclay recycled one million pounds of tile waste, plastic waste, PPE, and compost waste, achieving a 91% diversion rate. And by selling its Factory Sale Tile online, it diverts overproduced tile away from landfills and into inspired projects at a significantly discounted rate.
![\"img_2023_img_hi_res_donation_Design_A_Green_h.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481427.1715203258000/img_2023_img_hi_res_donation_Design_A_Green_h.jpeg\"/)
Reef is one of 38 Vetrite Gem Glass patterns, providing luminous and luscious hues and movement.
Current CEO Eric Edelson joined the company in 2009 and put the company\u2019s evolution into hyperdrive, creatively utilizing technology to streamline production and business processes. In 2014, Edelson drove the move away from wholesale selling to a direct-to-consumer model, online and through its San Francisco showroom and commercial sales team. And opportunities to purchase direct have grown, with showrooms springing up in Berkeley, at the Aromas factory as well as the Spokane, Wash., facility (after acquiring the Quarry Tile company) where the company\u2019s Natural Press Ceramic Tile and Glass Tile lines are made. Later this year, showrooms will open in New York City and Los Angeles, along with other soon-to-be-announced locations.
![\"FCT_1_2020_img_commercial_hi_res_rights_donat.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481428.1715203259000/FCT_1_2020_img_commercial_hi_res_rights_donat.jpeg\"/)
Two donations to Detroit schools from Fireclay Tile. Pictured right is Detroit Prep, with a 2020 tile donation and the above photo features another Detroit school with a wainscot of San Gabriel Thin Brick made in the Aromas, Calif., factory. One percent of all Brick purchases are donated to the National Parks Conservation Association. Photos: Stylish Detroit
As the company grew, so did the commitment to stakeholders. In 2014, Fireclay claimed the distinction to be the first B Corp Certified tile company \u2013 standing among impactful companies like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry\u2019s and reflecting unwavering commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability, transparency, and a sustainable, inclusive future.
\nAdvances kept coming, with a Climate Neutral certification in 2018 and a move to a 30% teammate ownership Certified Employee Owned company in 2020, after an initial foray into that concept in 2013. In 2021, the company broke ground on expanding its existing Aromas factory to produce tile at a greater scale, offer more Quick Ship stock and make more \u201cMade for Good\u201d sustainable tile for homes and businesses than ever before. Today, the company boasts a team of 320 among its two factories, showrooms, and distributed teammates.
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The before and after shots of a Four Oaks home renovation by Jenna Roberts Design, now outfitted with 8\" x 8\" Vintage Leather tile by Fireclay Tile. Photos: Amanda Jane Jones.
Installation to scale\nThe newest effort in bringing \u201cartisan to scale,\u201d as Edelson says, is the acquisition of Heritage Marble & Tile and the hiring of Martin Brookes as Director of Installation and his team to introduce the company\u2019s installation services. The goal is to provide a \u201cconcierge experience\u201d for Fireclay customers from tile selection through installation. Brookes, a past president of the National Tile Contractors Association, ran NTCA Five-Star Contractor company Heritage Marble & Tile in Mill Valley, Ca. Edelson saw an opportunity to incorporate the experience that Brookes created for his clients, and scale it for more Fireclay Tile clients, starting initially with a team in California, and eventually aiming to scale it across the country. The way Fireclay scaled artisan tile manufacturing and brought it direct to clients, it is now aiming to raise the bar of residential tile installation across the board.
![\"IMG_7183_Eric_and_Martin_1000.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481430.1715203261000/IMG_7183_Eric_and_Martin_1000.jpeg\"/)
Fireclay CEO Eric Edelson (l.) and Martin Brookes, Fireclay Director of Installation.
\u201cWe are trying to do what no company has ever done before: make, sell, and install tile,\u201d Edelson said. \u201cWe believe we can successfully train our craftsman installers on our products, and by incorporating our Design Services and our manufacturing excellence, we can set our team of installers up for success. As the largest artisan tile company in the U.S., we are in a unique position to deliver this, and the impact on our product and service for all installers across the country will only improve that much further.\u201d
Some installers have struggled or recoiled from installing artisan tile due to irregularities or time investment, but Edelson\u2019s belief is that selecting and installing Fireclay Tile can be the \u201csingle greatest experience in your project \u2013 whether residential or commercial.\u201d\n
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In March, Fireclay Tile reintroduced its Glass Tile line, now produced in the state-of-the-art factory in Spokane, Wash. It was previously produced by a partner in Canada that has since closed its doors. Fireclay can now claim all its products are 100% manufactured in the U.S.
Brookes chimed in. \u201cWe are building a team integrated into the Fireclay culture,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are trying to give the client the experience they deserve: for artisan tile to be installed as a piece of art, from hand boxing a piece of tile and handling it in the same way it is manufactured, with control over the process.\u201d Brookes brought his entire crew to Fireclay, including 2022 Residential NTCA Tile Setter Craftsperson of the Year Gabriel Cortez.
\n\u201cI was excited when I started to talk to Eric over beer and pizza,\u201d he said. \u201cEverything Fireclay is doing, Heritage can complement. Everything in my business is parallel, but I wasn\u2019t able to scale the way Eric can. Eric is a very smart man.\u201d He said Edelson\u2019s vision was able to elevate both Brooke\u2019s intent for his company \u2013 while bringing Fireclay to the next level \u2013 in a way that Brookes couldn\u2019t do alone. \u201cIt\u2019s the next step up the ladder,\u201d Brookes said, with ample resources of energy, tools, and people to create an integrated installation experience.
![\"img_2021_img_hi_res_rights_influencer_design_.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481432.1715278264000/img_2021_img_hi_res_rights_influencer_design_.jpeg\"/)
Fireclay Tile\u2019s San Gabriel glazed tile, vertical straight set adorns this brick backsplash. Photo by Maria Del Rio
Even before this big step, Fireclay was dedicated to installation excellence, with a trade program for its A&D customers and installers and guides, materials and resources for recommended craftspeople across the country who install Fireclay tile.
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This kitchen backsplash, designed and photographed by Claire Tomas, combines Fireclay handpainted Alameda Cuera Seca tiles, Mini Star and Cross field tile and 1\" x 6\" Flatliner trim.
Made for good\nPart of the vision of the company extends beyond sales and installation \u2013 to doing good in the community, supporting the industry.\u00a0
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\u201cWe give away a lot of tile,\u201d Edelson said. A Pledge 1% partner, Fireclay donates one percent of tile it produces to non-profits \u2013 over 25,000 sq.ft. of tile last year. And Fireclay has long been a sponsor of Tile Heritage Foundation, supporting the essential work of ensuring historic tiles and their legacy will live on in posterity.
\n=What\u2019s on the horizon? New showrooms, an integrated comprehensive service model that reflects the understanding that a truly exceptional tile project relies not just on the quality of the materials but also on the proficiency of its installers, and current manufacturing of tile for the Obama Library in Chicago, which will be installed next year.
![\"img_2021_img-hi_res_influencer_design_Jay_Nel.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481436.1715203267000/img_2021_img-hi_res_influencer_design_Jay_Nel.jpeg\"/)
Designed by Jay Nelson + Rachel Kaye and photographed by Mariko Reed, this mosaic bathroom is decked out in 1\" x 1\" Tidewater tiles on shower pan, floor and walls.
![\"Natural-Press-Campaign-All-Colors-On-Point-Ve.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481438.1715203259000/Natural-Press-Campaign-All-Colors-On-Point-Ve.jpeg\"/)
Designed by Jay Nelson + Rachel Kaye and photographed by Mariko Reed, this mosaic bathroom is decked out in 1\" x 1\" Tidewater tiles on shower pan, floor and walls.
The pride possessed by Fireclay as a team and a company extends beyond manufacturing to standing as an innovator and leader in sustainability and design. As a vertically-integrated company with 100% of its products made in the USA, Fireclay ensures that every piece of tile it produces meets its exacting standards for aesthetics and durability.\u00a0
\n\u201cAbove all, we believe that we make the most beautiful tile in the world,\u201d Edelson said. \u201cFrom the richness of our glazes to the artisan qualities of our designs, each tile tells a story of beauty, passion, and sustainability. When you choose Fireclay, we don\u2019t just match your vision \u2013 we match your values, too.\u201d
![\"Natural-Press-Campaign-2x4-Stripes_1000.jpeg\"](\"/image/12481440.1715203250000/Natural-Press-Campaign-2x4-Stripes_1000.jpeg\"/)
These Natural Press Ceramic tiles from Fireclay come in a rainbow of colors and 15 versatile sizes and shapes like rectangle, square, hexagon, and elongated hexagon.