Think of Cosentino, and images of Dekton's alluring beauty immediately spring to mind. A masterpiece of sustainable design and the only carbon-neutral product in its category, this revolutionary surface might just be Cosentino's most consequential achievement. “It’s impossible to understand Dekton® without understanding Cosentino,” says Itay Shimony, Cosentino’s Vice President of Oceania. “Dekton® is the culmination of everything we've been working towards for the past 30 years. At the same time, it’s also our future.”
Decades in the making, this ultra-compact carbon-neutral porcelain surface was first released in 2013, introducing the industry to the only carbon-neutral surface in its class. The groundbreaking launch was a direct culmination of Cosentino’s early efforts to transform quarry waste into a sustainable solution and the brand’s unwavering desire to merge the best of natural and engineered stone.
"We wanted the best of both worlds – the beauty of natural stone, but without the drawbacks," Itay reveals. “Dekton® delivers just that.”
Nature's brilliance, accelerated
This innovative product masterfully mimics how the Earth forms stone, compressing thousands of years of natural processes into mere hours – a force akin to turning carbon into diamonds. "That's the power we harness," Itay says.
Dekton's exclusive press generates 25,000 tons of uniform pressure, producing a non-porous surface free of the micro-defects that can be found in traditional materials. The final product is crafted with a sophisticated blend of over 20 natural minerals, fused using exclusive TSP technology, to create a truly exceptional material.
Through this outstanding fusion of nature and technology, Cosentino managed to create a stunning, resin-free surface that’s exceptionally low in silica and surpasses many counterparts when it comes to durability, stain, UV, heat, and abrasion resistance. While fundamental to Dekton’s environmental profile, these qualities are just one aspect of the product's unique character – and its status as the industry's only carbon-neutral option.
Sustainable haven in regional Spain
Dekton® is manufactured with 100% renewable electricity and 99% recycled water (with zero discharge to lakes and rivers) at a state-of-the-art factory in a rural area of Southern Spain. “We produce over 5,000 slabs – around 30,000 square metres – a day but with as few as 10 people on the floor,” Itay describes. “It's safe, clean and people get around on bikes. Everything's automated.”
Plus, Cosentino recycles 100% of Dekton’s manufacturing waste. “Everything that comes out of the production process can be remade into something else – a decorative piece, or a new countertop,” Itay says. “The second generation of these materials becomes recycled content for Dekton®, making it both carbon neutral and recycled.”
Extraordinary lifespan in real life
And while recycling is always a priority, Dekton's extraordinary lifespan – 25+ years compared to average countertop materials – is a major win for sustainability. And one of the major reasons high-end projects like Powerhouse Museum or new Sydney Airport are turning to Cosentino – and asking for Dekton®.
With over 5,000 square metres of flooring and 2,000 square metres of cladding, the new airport project is a huge development. Dekton's unique sustainability profile, where beauty meets carbon-neutrality, made it the only contender for such an environmentally conscious project. “For the client, carbon neutrality was non-negotiable,” Itay adds. “We wouldn't have been considered without Dekton’s outstanding environmental qualities.”
The Powerhouse Museum is a mix of surfaces: flooring, cladding, and bathroom vanities, showcasing Dekton’s unique versatility and its hygienic potential. “The large format cuts, minimal grout lines and non-porous quality – all of it makes maintenance a breeze,” Itay describes. “In commercial settings, the fact that you don't have to worry about harsh cleaning agents is a huge advantage from sustainability and occupant well-being point of view.”
Natural beauty
Dekton's exceptional aesthetic further augments these incredible practical attributes. One of Cosentino’s latest collections – Pietra Kode – punctuates how successful the brand is at decoding and deciphering natural stone’s unique beauty to then repackage it as a much more technical, compact and durable product.
This particular collection – created in collaboration with designer Daniel Germani – reinterprets the timeless beauty of three classic stones: Vicenza stone, Travertine marble and Ceppo di Gré. However, Dekton’s constantly expanding range of finishes emulates a variety of different natural stones – like sandstone which, as every architect, designer and specifier will know, is very well-loved in Australia.
“The latest Novotel development in Hobart is a fantastic example of that,” Itay says. “The building is located in a precinct built predominantly in sandstone, and so one of the council requirements was that the facade of the building is consistent in its look and feel.”
And so Cosentino created a Dekton® that looks like sandstone but provides the outstanding durability of their highly technical signature surface material. Clad in big-format 4mm tiles that perfectly mimic the natural stone, the product was instrumental to achieving the building’s 6-star energy rating.
“The ventilated facade system we use with Dekton® allows for natural air circulation, which drastically reduces the energy needed to heat or cool the building,” Itay explains. Augmented by the surface’s incredible durability and structural strength, protection against water leakage and thermal and acoustic insulation, Dekton® emerges as an excellent choice for any application – including external facades.
The future is Dekton®
Born from a deep respect for the environment and an unwavering dedication to innovation, Dekton® fuses the best parts of natural and manmade stone to create a cutting-edge surface that’s both stunning and carbon neutral. “No wonder that when Lendlease, who we work closely with here in Australia, visited our Spanish factory, they said ‘Dekton® is the future,’” Itay says proudly. And it’s easy to see why.
The Cosentino journey has been one of bold and constant evolution towards a cleaner, more beautiful built environment. And in Dekton®, the category’s only cradle-to–grave carbon-neutral surface, they might just have found their most powerful tool yet.
