Ceramic tile: a handcrafted art form becomes a growing business that's driving an eco-revolution.
Barry and Debbie Russell founded Encore Ceramics, a ceramic tile business in southern Oregon, with a passion for two things: the artform of handcrafted ceramic tiles and a belief in building a sustainable, innovative and green-friendly business that didn't harm the environment.
As Barry puts it, "From the start, we didn't see why waste had to be an inevitability of the factory manufacturing process." Today, Encore proudly states that the company produces no raw waste - instead, it redirects scrap materials back into manufacturing and continuously refines its factory process to accept them. All raw materials leave the company only in the form of a finished, salable product - and one that happens to be beautifully handmade by craftspeople who are equally concerned about the planet.
This revolutionary approach to the energy-intensive business of making ceramic tile has led Barry and Debbie's team to seek innovative solutions across the board:
- procuring clean, renewable energy from one of the largest solar panel installations in the Northwest to run its electric firing kilns;
- committing to being a climate neutral company by investing in electric/hybrid vehicles and reducing energy use;
- educating their employees so that each team member goes the extra mile to carry out Encore's goals of energy self-sufficiency and a green manufacturing process.
There's a palpable sense of excitement about the future at Encore; whether striving to achieve the goal of 100% energy self-sufficiency or introducing their newest product line of 90%-recycled glass, the company's on a roll and growing significantly in both business and green-ness. Barry and Debbie have learned that "It is do-able...you can have a successful business that respects the Earth. When we started, we didn't have two nickels to rub together and now, customers actually seek us out for our strong commitment to our values of beauty, craftsmanship and eco-consciousness."
By challenging the status quo way of thinking about manufacturing, energy usage and scrap utilization, Barry and Debbie are igniting a revolution in eco-responsible manufacturing - all while designing and producing stunning handmade, artisanal ceramic tiles. Their customers keep asking Encore for more. For the Russells, it's all part of their revolutionary drive to make great tile while maintaining their values and preserving the planet for the next generation of artisans. Truly, Stars of the New American Dream.
