Forite: Tiles made from recycled glass taken from discarded microwave ovens
Forite: Tiles made from recycled glass taken from discarded microwave ovens
Forite tiles; design and production: Studio Plastique, Snøhetta and Fornace Brioni || Photo: courtesy of the designers and manufacturer
Forite glass tiles, designed for cladding walls and other interior surfaces, are crafted entirely from recycled glass salvaged from discarded household ovens, including conventional and microwave models. With this unexpected and highly sustainable material innovation, Studio Plastique in Brussels and the Oslo-based architecture practice Snøhetta have earned two major international design accolades: Dezeen Awards: Sustainable Design of the Year (2021) and Wallpaper Design Awards: Best Domestic Design (2022)*. The first award, recognising the most impactful sustainable design of the year, was presented by Dezeen, one of the world’s most influential architecture and design platforms. The second, celebrating the best home décor product, was awarded by Wallpaper magazine, another globally respected authority in the design industry.
An equally important contributor to Forite’s success is Fornace Brioni, an Italian ceramic tile manufacturer based in Gonzaga (Mantua). By joining the collaboration, the company brought its extensive experience, industrial expertise and production capabilities to the project, enabling the technical and technological standardisation of the tiles and the production of the first, pilot series.
Fornace Brioni has been producing tiles out of clay since 1920, but this is the first time we’ve worked with another material... I think it’s the most difficult thing we’ve done.
– Alessio Brioni, owner of Fornace Brioni, for Wallpaper*, 2022
Taking a problem as an advantage
Forite tiles were first unveiled during Milan Design Week 2022. They are produced in two formats – 10 x 10 cm and 30 x 30 cm – and each one is entirely unique. The tiles are made by recycling glass components taken from used and discarded household ovens. These glass parts are typically laminated or chemically treated during the manufacturing process of the ovens. As a result of these chemical additives, when the glass is crushed and melted it cannot be transformed into clear or evenly coloured material – a quality that the market usually expects when it comes to glass. This has been one of the key reasons why such glass has not been recycled until now.
With Forite, these material flaws are deliberately embraced and reimagined as a defining strength, giving every tile its own distinct character. Forite tiles are opaque or semi-transparent, and predominantly come in green and grey tones. All versions are suitable for cladding floors, walls, table surfaces and other interior elements, while the semi-transparent ones can also be used to create striking partition panels.
Sand is a Finite Resource
At the core of the Forite tiles project is Studio Plastique in Brussels. During Milan Design Week, the studio also showcased prototype tiles made from glass recovered from other electrical and electronic devices such as refrigerators, TV screens and mobile phones. All of these tiles, including Forite, stem from the studio’s broader conceptual and research-driven initiative dedicated to exploring the life cycle of sand as a finite and increasingly endangered resource of our planet and civilisation. Launched in 2018 and titled Common Sands, the project investigates the extraction, processing, use and disposal of sand and sand-based products.
At the core of the Forite tiles project is Studio Plastique in Brussels. During Milan Design Week, the studio also showcased prototype tiles made from glass recovered from other electrical and electronic devices such as refrigerators, TV screens and mobile phones. All of these tiles, including Forite, stem from the studio’s broader conceptual and research-driven initiative dedicated to exploring the life cycle of sand as a finite and increasingly endangered resource of our planet and civilisation. Launched in 2018 and titled Common Sands, the project investigates the extraction, processing, use and disposal of sand and sand-based products.
Sand is an essential resource for our civilisation, forming the backbone of technologies used in the production of glass, electronic devices, microchips, solar cells, aerogels, insulation materials and countless other products. Enormous resources are invested in its extraction, transportation and processing, yet almost nothing is done to recycle these products once they reach the end of their life cycle — most of them simply end up in landfill. In response, the founders of Studio Plastique assemble multidisciplinary teams that transform electronic waste into new products, designed with the aim of causing minimal environmental impact during production.
During a 2019 exhibition showcasing the results of the Common Sands project, the team met architects from Snøhetta, which marked the beginning of their collaboration on the Forite tiles. Over the course of three years, extensive research and experimentation took place. Thanks to the technological expertise of Fornace Brioni, Forite tiles were ultimately developed as a sustainable, intelligent and refined architectural product. Created from a previously unused yet abundant material resource — discarded household ovens — they signal the beginning of a new chapter in the architectural use of glass recovered from electronic waste (e-waste).
About 5% of e-waste is glass
Forite tiles have gained recognition and awards because they represent a highly successful response to the global challenge of electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste consists of discarded products powered by electricity or batteries, ranging from household appliances to personal electronics that are no longer in use due to malfunction, obsolescence, or replacement with newer models. In addition to conventional and microwave ovens, e-waste includes old mobile phones, laptops, televisions, radios, monitors, refrigerators, washing machines, power tools, toys, chargers, keyboards, remote controls, batteries and cables, as well as medical devices such as blood pressure monitors.
Forite tiles have gained recognition and awards because they represent a highly successful response to the global challenge of electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste consists of discarded products powered by electricity or batteries, ranging from household appliances to personal electronics that are no longer in use due to malfunction, obsolescence, or replacement with newer models. In addition to conventional and microwave ovens, e-waste includes old mobile phones, laptops, televisions, radios, monitors, refrigerators, washing machines, power tools, toys, chargers, keyboards, remote controls, batteries and cables, as well as medical devices such as blood pressure monitors.
Glass accounts for roughly 5% of e-waste (excluding other silicates such as silicone or silicon). Classified as a “special glass”, it cannot be recycled together with ordinary glass packaging. If glass components from a microwave oven were crushed and melted together with broken bottles and jars, the resulting mixture would crack upon cooling — and any products formed from it would break as well. Successful recycling therefore requires that all discarded glass being crushed and melted share the same, or at least a compatible, chemical composition.
Glass accounts for roughly 5% of e-waste (excluding other silicates such as silicone or silicon). Classified as a “special glass”, it cannot be recycled together with ordinary glass packaging. If glass components from a microwave oven were crushed and melted together with broken bottles and jars, the resulting mixture would crack upon cooling — and any products formed from it would break as well. Successful recycling therefore requires that all discarded glass being crushed and melted share the same, or at least a compatible, chemical composition.
Another major obstacle is the lack of proper e-waste disposal systems. Specialised collection bins and dedicated recycling services are still rare, making it extremely difficult to recover glass from old microwave ovens and other appliances and devices. Even when this is possible, there are no standardised technological processes to enable, for example, the recycling of glass from washing machine doors or old television screens into new products. It is precisely for overcoming these challenges that Forite tiles are considered a significant success in addressing the e-waste problem.
Products marked with the crossed-out bin sign
E-waste is not only a problem because it is difficult to recycle and tends to accumulate in landfills, but also because it contains hazardous substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium and bromine, which can contaminate soil, water and air if disposed of improperly. At the same time, it contains valuable materials such as gold, silver, copper and rare metals, which can be recovered and recycled. Proper disposal is therefore the first priority in tackling e-waste, followed by the development of reliable technological processes to recycle all its components. In the case of glass, the ideal scenario would be for all e-waste glass components to be recycled into new products, either coloured or enhanced with other valuable elements recovered from the same waste stream.
E-waste is not only a problem because it is difficult to recycle and tends to accumulate in landfills, but also because it contains hazardous substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium and bromine, which can contaminate soil, water and air if disposed of improperly. At the same time, it contains valuable materials such as gold, silver, copper and rare metals, which can be recovered and recycled. Proper disposal is therefore the first priority in tackling e-waste, followed by the development of reliable technological processes to recycle all its components. In the case of glass, the ideal scenario would be for all e-waste glass components to be recycled into new products, either coloured or enhanced with other valuable elements recovered from the same waste stream.
In Europe, the e-waste problem is addressed through the WEEE Directive (2003/2012), where WEEE stands for Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment. The directive aims to reduce the volume of e-waste by improving collection and recycling systems, and by obliging manufacturers to finance the collection and processing of their discarded electronic and electrical products — following the principle of extended producer responsibility. Although manufacturers are now required to label their products with the crossed-out bin sign, and European countries are implementing dedicated collection, disposal and recycling systems, large quantities of e-waste still end up in landfills. Rapid technological development further accelerates product obsolescence, driving new production and creating additional waste accumulation.
Responsible design highlights what matters
As early as 2016, Studio Plastique began developing a collection of decorative and functional homeware made by recycling glass from discarded household appliances. All new products are laser-engraved with information about the origin of the glass, the location of the used appliance, and the date the glass was transformed.
With the Forite tiles and prototypes of other recycled glass tiles, Studio Plastique made a significant step into architecture, making their collaboration with Snøhetta — the renowned architectural firm with nearly 30 years of experience — particularly important. Snøhetta, known for designing landmark buildings such as the new Alexandria Library and the Oslo Opera House, intends to apply Forite tiles in architecture, landscapes and interior spaces.
With the Forite tiles and prototypes of other recycled glass tiles, Studio Plastique made a significant step into architecture, making their collaboration with Snøhetta — the renowned architectural firm with nearly 30 years of experience — particularly important. Snøhetta, known for designing landmark buildings such as the new Alexandria Library and the Oslo Opera House, intends to apply Forite tiles in architecture, landscapes and interior spaces.
Italian ceramic tile manufacturer Fornace Brioni has submitted an application for certification of line production of Forite tiles. Since the technical standards for producing glass tiles align with existing ceramic tile manufacturing protocols, approval is expected. This will enable smooth production and broader application of Forite tiles. The Milan 2022 launch was open to commercial orders, with the price ranging from €280 to €300 per square metre
All three partners in the project are primarily focused on stabilising and improving the collection and processing of e-waste — specifically, securing a sufficient supply of glass from discarded ovens to enable the regular production of Forite tiles.
Forite is just the beginning, and an example for us and others to learn from... The potential in materials that are currently not used efficiently due to restrictions, regulations, old habits, and systems, or lack of political incentives is enormous.
– Marius Myking, Product Design Director at Snøhetta, for for Wallpaper*, 2022
Forite is just the beginning, and an example for us and others to learn from... The potential in materials that are currently not used efficiently due to restrictions, regulations, old habits, and systems, or lack of political incentives is enormous.
– Marius Myking, Product Design Director at Snøhetta, for for Wallpaper*, 2022
These tiles are an excellent example of how discarded glass that has so far remained unrecycled can be repurposed. They demonstrate what can be achieved within the framework of feasible, innovative, circular and sustainable design. Thanks to the curiosity and collaboration of specialists from diverse fields, Studio Plastique, Snøhetta and Fornace Brioni have responded to contemporary challenges in living, design and production with an ambitious yet practical solution — one that holds significant potential for scaling and further development.
References
- Aouf, RS. (2021, November 18). Snøhetta and Studio Plastique make tiles from recycled oven and microwave glass. Dezeen.com.
- Chan, TF. (2022, October 8). Recycled glass tiles by Studio Plastique, Snøhetta and Fornace Brioni launch in Milan. Wallpaper* (DESIGN EVENTS, FEATURES).
- Fornace Brioni. (online). Forite tile collection. Fornace Brioni.
- Studio Plastique. (online). Common Sands. Studio Plastique.
- Snøhetta. (online). Forite. Waste to Value. Snøhetta.
- Teuscher, L. (2022, October 6). Glass tiles by Studio Plastique, Snøhetta and Fornace Brioni win Best Domestic Design: Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022. Wallpaper* (ARCHITECTURE, INSPIRATION).
