Heath Ceramics and EPDs, at a glance
An iconic California maker best known for dinnerware and architectural tile, Heath Ceramics now brings product transparency to its tile line with a current EPD. Here is where their portfolio shines for specifiers, where they may still hear no on projects with strict submittals, and how that could change sales outcomes.
Who Heath Ceramics is
Founded in 1948 in Sausalito, Heath Ceramics manufactures dinnerware, home goods, and architectural tile in California. The dinnerware wins hearts. The tile wins specs. Their sustainability story is easy to find on the site, and it reads as an operations‑first approach rather than marketing gloss. See their page here: Sustainability at Heath.
Product families that matter for construction
Heath’s construction‑relevant business is tile. They offer over 100 glazes across seven distinct tile lines, largely made to order in San Francisco (Heath Ceramics, 2025). That combination of lines, shapes, and glazes means sku permutations comfortably land in the hundreds. In short, Heath is not a broad flooring brand. They are a focused architectural tile maker.
EPD status snapshot
Heath has a product‑specific Environmental Product Declaration for ceramic tile, published by EPD Hub on November 6, 2025 and valid until November 6, 2030 (EPD Hub, 2025). It covers impacts across the life cycle in a format spec teams can file without extra explanation. For many projects, that single EPD is the ticket that lets Heath tile sit side by side with larger brands in submittal packages.
Coverage vs. gaps
The EPD addresses Heath’s tile manufacturing. It does not extend to non‑building products like dinnerware, which rarely show up in project submittals anyway. If a project requires full transparency packs, specifers may still ask for supporting disclosures on setting materials and grout from other suppliers. That is normal for tile scopes. The practical gap to watch is breadth. One EPD is great, yet some owners prefer model‑ or collection‑specific EPDs when designs span performance extremes. If Heath expands coverage in future editions, it could reduce back‑and‑forth on very technical jobs.
Why it matters now that LEED v5 is live
LEED v5 was ratified by USGBC members on March 28, 2025, and projects are moving into that rubric with sharpened expectations for product‑specific data (USGBC, 2025). In many owner standards, no EPD means a default penalty in embodied‑carbon accounting that can push a product out of contention. With a current, third‑party verified EPD, Heath avoids that default for tile packages and stays in the mix on stricter public and private work.
Competitive set on typical projects
Heath often faces design‑forward tile players and national workhorses alike. Common alternates include Fireclay Tile and Crossville on the domestic side, and Daltile across market segments. Crossville publishes product‑specific porcelain tile EPDs covering multiple collections, which can smooth approvals on corporate interiors and healthcare. Fireclay offers both ceramic and glass tile with public EPDs and broad color programs. Daltile frequently participates under the North American industry‑wide EPD framework via TCNA, which many teams accept for baseline compliance.
If a best seller lacked an EPD, what happens
In tile, lack of a product‑specific EPD often forces teams to use conservative defaults that make a beautiful line harder to justify. Competitors with current product‑specific EPDs, such as Crossville porcelain tile with validity to 2030, slot in cleanly on LEED‑bound interiors and large rollouts (Environdec, 2025). Even one missed multi‑floor specification can outweigh the effort to create the declaration. Teams rarely see the projects they don’t win.
Commercial takeaways for manufacturers
- Focus EPD scope where volume concentrates. For many tile makers that is field tile and the most sampled glazes.
- Pick the PCR your competitors use so reviewers can compare apples to apples. It saves weeks of clarifications.
- Make data collection painless for plant teams. A partner who runs structured, white‑glove data gathering frees operations to stay on throughput, which is where the money is.
What’s next for Heath
Heath’s tile EPD puts them on the right side of today’s submittal line. Expanding the declaration’s coverage as the portfolio evolves would make specification even smoother, especially for complex verticals like healthcare where documentation piles up quickly. The design equity is already there. Closing small paperwork gaps turns that equity into repeat wins, not just inspiration shots.
Heath Ceramics tile collections page is a helpful product overview if you are building your short list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What building product categories does Heath Ceramics sell into?
Architectural tile. Their other lines like dinnerware and home goods are not typically part of construction submittals.
Roughly how many SKUs does Heath’s tile offering represent?
Given seven tile lines, multiple shapes and over 100 glazes, the permutations sit in the hundreds. This is an estimate, not an official count.
Does Heath Ceramics have a current EPD for tile?
Yes. A product‑specific ceramic tile EPD published November 6, 2025 by EPD Hub is valid through November 6, 2030 (EPD Hub, 2025).
Will Heath’s dinnerware need EPDs for building projects?
No. Dinnerware is outside standard construction submittals, so the tile EPD is the relevant credential.
Who are common competitors in specs?
Fireclay Tile, Crossville, and Daltile are frequent alternates. Several publish product‑specific or industry‑wide EPDs that many reviewers accept.
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
