The value of innovation in Italian ceramics

(May 2025) | Italian ceramic products command higher average selling prices in global markets than any of their competitors. This has long been the case for tiles, slabs and sanitaryware. In the ceramic tile category, for example, average import prices are 30% higher in Germany, 1.8 times higher in the United States, and up to 3.5 times higher in the Gulf countries and South Korea. Consumers and industry professionals around the world willingly pay these higher prices for Italian ceramics, fully recognising the value they represent.

This competitive advantage stems from three closely interconnected factors. The first concerns the innovative nature of Italian ceramic products themselves, particularly in terms of aesthetics due to the industry’s ability to anticipate design trends and create surfaces in which structures and textures are an integral part of the decoration. But this innovative vision also applies to product types, as reflected in Italy’s role as the cradle of industrial ceramics and the birthplace of all new product families, from single-fired tiles to large-format slabs.
Secondly, Italian ceramics are manufactured by an industry that has long set global standards for environmental performance, helping define the BATs (Best Available Techniques). The exclusive use of natural, non-toxic raw materials, alongside the most advanced technologies for recycling production waste and minimising the consumption of resources (especially energy), testify to the industry’s continuous investments. This commitment also includes a focus on health and safety for workers in factories and across the entire supply chain, giving rise to a culture of responsibility that is a source of pride for the industry and a key differentiator from international competitors.

The Italian ceramic industry’s third key strength is its ability to build commercial relationships worldwide, making it one of the few truly global players with exports to more than 150 countries. This ability to engage, negotiate and maintain enduring partnerships based on credibility, reliability and punctuality has helped to make Italian ceramics a global benchmark, closely watched by all its competitors.