Sustainability FAQs

What is Cambria made of?

Cambria surfaces are made of pure, natural quartz, binder, and pigment. Quartz is one of the most common minerals on Earth. It is also one of the strongest materials with a Mohs hardness scale score of 7 (diamonds score a 10).

Where is Cambria manufactured?

Headquartered in Le Sueur, Minnesota, we own and operate 30+ facilities, including a state-of-the-art one-million-square-foot slab manufacturing facility; fabrication and distribution centers; and Cambria galleries and showrooms, which are open to the public.

We pride ourselves on being the leading family-owned producer of American-made quartz surfaces.

From slab production to countertop installation, every Cambria purchase invests over 95% of costs back into the U.S. economy.

How is Cambria mined and processed? 

For us, protecting the environment is second nature. In 2018, we acquired our quartz mine, which yields high quality quartz. The mine possesses a quartz supply sustainable for hundreds of years.

Harvesting quartz particles through crushed stone is more conducive to environmental restoration.  To minimize disruption to the environment the land is restored after the quartz is harvested.

Ownership of the mine ensures our continuous access to high quality quartz with a rare level of depth and clarity. We are now in full control of every step of the process, including inspection and quality checks at the mine itself. The opportunity to handpick the quartz at the mine will influence the innovation seen in future Cambria designs.

We take pride in ensuring responsible environmental stewardship of this unique resource.

Is Cambria compliant with the Living Building Challenge?

Yes, Cambria is compliant with the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge (LBC), a green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualizes the ideal for the built environment.

As the world’s most rigorous proven performance standard for buildings, LBC buildings give more than they take, creating a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with them. Our LBC compliance affirms that we do not use heavy metals.

How does Cambria minimize its environmental impact within the product and fabrication facilities?

Water: Through a series of advanced settling and filtering techniques, we recycle the majority of the water used for production in our slab manufacturing and fabrication facilities.

An on-site pond provides water to the grounds of the slab manufacturing facility.

Tooling: All diamond-metal tooling is refurbished, recycled, and reused. 

Recycled Products: Cambria offers designs with recycled content comprised of reused Cambria quartz slabs. The following Cambria designs contain pre-consumer recycled content certified by SCS Global Services: Brittanicca Block™ and Big Sur Mist™.

Does Cambria contribute to LEED points?

Cambria qualifies for one LEED point in the Indoor Environmental Quality: Low Emitting Materials category, which means Cambria reduces the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating, and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants. Cambria quartz surfaces have achieved Greenguard and Greenguard Gold Certification.

Learn more about the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the LEED program.

Does Cambria have any designs that are made with recycled material?

We are committed to sustainability and offer products with recycled content comprised of reused Cambria quartz slabs. Specific products contain pre-consumer recycled content certified by SCS Global Services.

Is Cambria safe for cooking and food prep?

Yes, all Cambria quartz surfaces are nonporous and nonabsorbent of moisture and food materials, which can harbor harmful bacteria; are scratch and stain resistant; and are maintenance free, simply requiring only warm water, a soft cotton cloth, and mild soap, if desired, to clean. Learn more about Cambria’s product performance.

All Cambria designs meet NSF 51 Food Zone Compliance. Being NSF certified for all three areas including food zones, splash zones, and nonfood zones means there can be direct contact with food.

Food Zones are areas with direct or indirect contact with consumable food or where condensation may contact and then drain, drip, or splash back into food or food contact surfaces. Materials certified for use in a food zone are also suitable for use in splash and nonfood zones.

Splash Zones are areas that are exposed to routine soiling from splashes and spills but are not surfaces intended for contact with consumable food. Materials certified for splash zones are not certified for use in food zones.

Nonfood Zones are areas that are not exposed to food or splashes but may be subject to some minor dirt or debris.

Does Cambria use harmful adhesives?

No. Our adhesives for setting seams in countertops are Greenguard approved.

Does Cambria hold any certifications or listings?

Yes, Cambria quartz surfaces are listed as Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPD) v2.1 and Living Building Challenge compliant. We also proudly participate in the Declare program and in mindful MATERIALS. See all of Cambria’s credentials and certifications.