Losing weight already? Jump start your summer by exercising your LEED points using bricks whose success story show us that losing the baggage in architecture is also just half the battle. The other half is arguably doing it the right way: using new technologies while preserving “old world” methods. Fireclay Tile shows us exactly what the brick shape’s pared down profile has in store for our architectural physique with a glimpse at their  new Glazed Thin Bricks.

Glazed Thin Bricks. Manufactured by Fireclay Tile.

Fireclay’s Glazed Thin Bricks Can Create a Beautiful Facade, Inside or Out.

“Fireclay Tile’s mission is to produce the most beautiful, durable ceramic products using sustainable manufacturing processes and recycled materials,” says Fireclay. “We are innovators and actively engaged in developing new ceramic technologies while preserving ‘old world’ methods.” Thanks to their poignant mission statement (above), the California-based construction materials manufacturer makes creating environmentally-friendly works of architectural product art look easy. In fact, their tiles made from recycled toilets also bypassed the mark a year ago, nailing down a dramatic design while remaining green and lovely.

They describe their Glazed Thin Bricks in written form and through a well-produced video with so much passion, being a Fireclay follower feels instantaneous. Like a moth to a flame. That said, it’s hard to paraphrase their lightweight spectacle, leading me to another quote that just about sums it up: “Utilizing up to 100% local recycled content and finished with a selection of nine new VOC-free natural glazes, the brick can also help earn your project LEED credits. Glazed Thin Brick is made in the U.S.A. and can be used in almost any kind of interior and exterior applications where you would typically use brick. The product is extremely well suited for commercial projects or larger scale residential work… (or) wherever tile or thin brick could be used, including wet areas. Glazed thin brick creates a hard, durable maintenance free surface, with colors and textures that can range from subtle to bold. Responsible, durable, high quality – just how glazed brick was always meant to be.”

To top it off, 1% of all Glazed Thin Brick sales will be donated to charity, and all of the bricks made by Fireclay and McNear Brick & Block qualify for a “Made in USA” required projects! Before being sold for the 5th time on its merit alone, Fireclay recommends that “you have to see it to truly appreciate its beauty.”

About the Manufacturer: Fireclay Tile is a ceramic tile company based in San Jose, CA that has worked on cutting edge technology to produce tiles and bricks “the way they should be made” since 1986. Using recycled materials and sustainable manufacturing practices, they are a green company that prides itself in being affordable and employee-oriented, ensuring that everything they create is a team effort. Other than the newly-released Glazed Thin Bricks, Fireclay is also responsible for a full line of field and trim tiles, decorative tiles and architectural details.