Surface brand Caesarstone has promised that from the start of next year all of its products will officially become part of its crystalline silica-free ICON range.
Caesarstone UK and Ireland’s managing director, Edward Smith, announced the strategy yesterday, explaining that roughly 80% of the company’s product portfolio is already made up of ICON products. Smith also added that ICON products are currently available at all price points, meaning that there is no premium price barrier to the silica-free range.
Caesarstone first launched its ICON range last year, promising that as well as being silica-free, the collection was also made up of recycled materials. Since then, the company has continued to welcome more products into the ICON surface portfolio, saying this demonstrated both its commitment to environmental responsibility and the wellbeing of fabricators.
Speaking to kbbreview about his promise to bring all of Caesarstone’s products under the ICON umbrella, Edward Smith said: “The direction of travel in the UK market is clear. Adoption of Caesarstone ICON has been rapid across the housebuilder, developer and A&D sectors, and is now accelerating among leading independent retailers. Most of our engineered-stone portfolio is already ICON, with the remaining products transitioning at the start of 2027.
“We are seeing more ‘silica-free’ marketing claims enter the market, but a claim alone does not make it a proven material. Where supporting data are absent, material content is vague or undocumented, or published performance data continues to reference quartz content, for example, those claims warrant careful scrutiny. Verifiable evidence is what distinguishes a proven, specification-ready surface from a marketing claim.
“Caesarstone ICON combines our proprietary crystalline silica-free technology with a formula made from 85% recycled material, helping to meet sustainable construction targets and respond to changing buyer behaviour. It is also backed by a lifetime warranty from a trusted, established brand. Crucially, the ICON sales story is underpinned by transparent product provenance and bona fide documentation including safety data sheets, technical performance data sheets and independent third-party certification.”
The news comes as the debate around high-silica engineered stone continues to rumble on, with surface brands such as Caesarstone looking to silica-free products as a safer alternative to high-silica surfaces. Engineered stone surfaces with a high-silica content have come under serious scrutiny in recent years as the UK has reported a concerning increase in the number of reported silicosis cases.
In related news, Smith has previously expressed concern that many unbranded surfaces have likely entered the UK market, warning that they lack clear provenance, technical documentation or accessible safety data sheets.