Ceramic and porcelain tile bring to the table an unprecedented number of benefits that speak to the needs of today’s consumer. These attributes are both inherent to the product itself and its development. Production location, too—considering the industry’s battle with tariffs and inflationary pressures—hits home for today’s end user.
To name a few, we’re talking about: Eco-conscious development and production. U.S. manufacturing. Ultimate waterproofing. These are not small things. These are top of mind for many consumers today—retail owners, too. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, one inherent benefit of tile has risen to the top of the heap: its healthy home and wellness benefits.
Consumers focused on Health and wellness abound, so much so that the topic has evolved from a strategic marketing advantage for the supplier to a true driver of choice for the consumer. “Wellness has evolved beyond a trend—it’s now a fundamental driver of residential design,” said Carly Ghodsian, director of curator collections, Emser Tile.
Paulo Pereira, vice president of MSI, agreed, noting that consumers increasingly view their homes as places that should support comfort, health and wellness and everyday functionality. “As a result, purchasing decisions are often influenced by how materials contribute to cleanliness, durability and long-term satisfaction,” he added. “Wellness is influencing not only what consumers buy, but how they evaluate value. Homeowners are looking for products that contribute to cleaner spaces, require less maintenance and perform over time.”
Bottom line: Tile speaks to each of these needs. However, suppliers agree, marketing needs to up its game. “I think we’ve been underselling tile for years,” said Veronica Gripp, brand manager, Portobello America. “The health story is baked into the material itself; we just haven’t told it loudly enough. People deserve to know what they’re bringing into their homes and what it does over time.”
Selling a wellness material
So what does it mean to bring tile into your home—and what will become of it over time? Turns out the benefits are vast, and consumers should be made aware during the purchasing process. If nothing else, it’s imperative to understand that tile’s lofty price tag comes with lofty benefits that support the consumer’s most pressing needs.
First and foremost, point to the product itself—the physics, in this case, matter. “Tile is inorganic, non-porous and dimensionally stable,” said Jim Neel, technical manager, Portobello America. “It doesn’t absorb moisture, it doesn’t support microbial growth and it doesn’t off-gas. Those aren’t marketing claims. They’re the physics of a fired ceramic body.”
But that’s not all. Once the tile is fired, the benefits to indoor health and wellness continue. “Unlike other flooring options, porcelain tile does not trap dust, pollen, pet dander or other indoor pollutants, contributing to cleaner indoor environments,” explained Rodolfo Panisi, Florim USA president and CEO.
Cleanability is a high selling point in today’s market. It’s also a feature that not many flooring categories can truly tout like tile. “Tile is an ideal material for maintaining a sterile environment and is a good choice for health- or hygiene-conscious individuals,” said John Williams, manager technical services at Emser Tile. “Tile is very easy to keep clean. It doesn’t retain bacteria. It doesn’t retain anything that would become an environmental hazard or a health hazard. So, from a hygienic point of view, it is an optimum choice.”
Longevity, too, is one of tile’s superpowers. “Its durability and long lifespan reduce the need for frequent replacement, minimizing disruption and material waste over time,” Panisi explained.
The commercial side of the business has evolved in such a way as to support these conversations. What’s more, wellness-focused organizations have made it increasingly more advantageous for suppliers to not only tout these benefits but increase their wellness-focused innovation.
“The frameworks have changed the conversation completely: WELL, Living Building Challenge, LEED,” Gripp said. “Specifiers aren’t just asking ‘is this durable?’ anymore. They’re asking ‘what is this made of? And what does it do to the people inside the building?’ That shift has opened real doors.”
Portobello’s Neel agreed, adding, “Tile holds up in those frameworks because it performs on the criteria that matter. Thermal mass, acoustic potential, no chemical maintenance requirements. FloorScore certification addresses indoor air quality directly. The product earns its place; it’s not a workaround. And that credibility matters when there is a project team pursuing certification. Designers don’t have to make trade-offs between aesthetics and wellness. That’s not always a given.”
Design is a bridge that crosses both markets. Suppliers agree the importance of design in creating wellness-focused spaces can’t be exaggerated—and it’s an area in which tile excels beyond most flooring categories. “From a design perspective, people increasingly recognize that well-being is influenced by the spaces they occupy,” Pereira said. “Natural colors, organic textures and biophilic design elements can help create environments that feel calming and restorative. Ceramic and porcelain tile excel in this area because they can authentically capture the look of natural materials while offering exceptional performance.”
Terri Marion, product manager-Crossville, AHF Products, added, “Tile contributes to psychological comfort through natural aesthetics, tactile surfaces and materials that create immersive spaces people genuinely enjoy spending time in. Wellness isn’t simply about eliminating harmful materials anymore. It’s increasingly about creating environments that feel calm, restorative and connected to nature.”
Innovation in tile
As one of the most technologically advanced flooring materials, it tracks that innovation continues to ramp up in the category. That is true across all end goals for tile (sustainability, durability, design, etc.), including that of healthy living and overall wellness.
“The future of tile innovation will likely continue moving toward products that make healthy design easier to achieve across the entire home,” Pereira noted.
Sean Cilona, vice president of product and marketing, Virginia Tile, agreed, noting, “At the end of the day, healthy living isn’t just about what’s inside a product it’s about choosing materials that support better indoor air quality, require fewer harsh cleaning products and perform for decades. Ceramic and porcelain tile have always delivered on those fundamentals, and I expect manufacturers will continue to build on those strengths as wellness becomes an even bigger driver in product development.”
What do some of those innovations look like? Here are some examples:
- Maintaining certifications that support environmental and health standards.
“We actively collaborate with industry partners, regulatory bodies and certification organizations to stay informed about the latest advancements in sustainable practices,” said Dave Godlewski, vice president of sales and marketing, independent channel, Wonder Porcelain. “We’re achieving relevant certifications, such as Green Squared G2 certification, which demonstrates our commitment to recognized environmental standards. We also conduct comprehensive Life Cycle Assessments to quantify the embodied carbon footprint of our ceramic tiles. This includes analyzing raw material extraction, manufacturing processes, transportation and end-of-life considerations.”
“Greater transparency through EPDs, HPDs and Declare Red List Free labels give architects, designers and builders clearer insight into material composition and environmental impact, supporting healthier building certifications like WELL and LEED,” Florim USA’s Panisi said.
“The significant shift is material transparency,” Portobello America’s Neel said. “HPDs let specifiers verify exactly what’s in the product and whether any inputs appear on chemical concern lists like the LBC Red List. Five years ago that was rare. Now it’s an expectation.”
- Advanced surface technologies
Daltile’s Defend with Microban eliminates 99% of bacteria on the tile surface. “Daltile has taken the already hypo-allergenic and easily cleaned properties of tile flooring even a step further by introducing the Defend program and the new floor, wall, and mosaic tile products under that umbrella,” said Patrick Warren, vice president dealer sales and showrooms, Dal-Tile. “Microban technology is world-leading antimicrobial product protection that has revolutionized product cleanliness. Because Microban technology is built into the tile, it will not wash off or wear away, resulting in a surface that is consistently protected from the growth of bacteria, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
“Manufacturers are advancing tile through more precise surface engineering that improves both performance and user experience,” Crossville’s Marion said. “Today’s innovations aren’t just about technical performance—they’re about how a surface feels and functions in everyday life. Innovations include textures that enhance traction while maintaining comfort and cleanability, as well as finishes that create a softer tactile experience without compromising flooring performance.”
- Cleanability
“Large-format tiles and porcelain panels reduce grout lines, minimizing areas where dirt and bacteria can accumulate and making cleaning more efficient and less reliant on harsh chemicals, for better hygiene,” Florim USA’s Panisi said.
“We are seeing growing interest in larger-format tiles, integrated floor-and-wall solutions, and collections that help create seamless environments,” MSI’s Pereira said. “Products with large-format sizes available allow designers to reduce visual clutter with less grout lines that create an easier cleaning experience that contribute to a greater sense of hygiene and wellbeing.”
- Design innovation
“Innovation is also focused on creating more realistic surfaces that deliver the emotional appeal of natural materials with the practical advantages of porcelain tile,” MSI’s Pereira said. “This kind of innovation helps homeowners and designers achieve wellness-oriented spaces that feel natural calming, and elevated while remaining easy to maintain.”
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