Embracing style and sustainability with glass mosaics

Tiles often serve as a canvas for the overall design of kitchens and bathrooms. Outside, tiles can also transform entertainment areas, pools and spas. While these can all be high-cost areas to build and renovate, partnering with skilled design professionals and sourcing products from manufacturers and suppliers that are durable, sustainable and design-led, can help achieve stunning results that elevate your property and lifestyle. 

This is why Global Tile has been the exclusive importer of ONIX Mosaico, a Spanish manufacturer of glass mosaic tiles, since the brand’s inception in 1999. 

As the largest manufacturer of glass mosaics on an international level, ONIX has been the innovator in glass mosaics for decades – continually improving its processes and crafting exceptional glass mosaics.

“ONIX have always been the leaders in the manufacturing of glass mosaic,” says Jared Caldwell, managing director at Global Tile. 

“Through the constant pursuit for design, innovation and manufacturing processes that are second to none, this is why ONIX Mosaico remains in the number one position in their field of business.”

Traditionally, glass mosaics were only available in square formats and nominally 25x25mm. But over 15 years ago, ONIX started manufacturing many different shapes and sizes as they catered to the ever-increasing demand of designers and architects worldwide. This included shapes such as hexagons and large square formats up to 50x50mm, through to the ‘penny round’ – one of the latest trends for swimming pools and bathrooms.

“ONIX is also the only manufacturer that can customise and reproduce an image, logo or design onto glass mosaic through their digital print technology. All the user needs to do is supply their preferred and unique image in a 300dpi JPEG format.”

Beyond shape and colour, ONIX is also leading the way in sustainability with the glass mosaic tiles made from 98 per cent recycled glass. 

“ONIX strives to contribute to environmental sustainability, hence their manufacture of ecological and eco-friendly mosaics with recycled glass. More than 31 million kilograms of recycled glass per year goes into making their glass mosaics, and there is no other company achieving this quite as successfully,” says Caldwell.  

“ONIX also promotes a circular economy through the reuse of production surplus – residual oils from their presses and enamel wastes are collected for purification by a certified company. The company also takes steps to ensure sustainable energy use, such as not using fossil fuels in the production process, and, instead, working with energy from renewable sources – specifically, photovoltaic solar energy generated on its premises.”

Another measure the brand takes to minimise its impact on the environment is the use of electric kilns instead of gas kilns, which are equipped with frequency converters to maximise energy efficiency by allowing the adjustment and control of working temperatures in a stable manner.

“Even right down to the packaging that the mosaics come in – being brown cardboard instead of white – and any pallets used are returned to suppliers or reused instead of going to landfill,” says Caldwell. “From start to finish, they’re a very innovative and sustainable company.”

Resistant to humid environments and thermal shocks, non-porous and highly hygienic, glass mosaics can be used inside and outside of the home. 

“From swimming pools, spas and water features, to bathrooms, floors and walls, you name it – they can be installed almost anywhere,” says Caldwell. 

“There is no limitation unless it’s using a particular finish such as our 24-karat gold or 24-karat gold or silver leaf options. This would be for walls only, and in a specific environment. For example, we wouldn't put it into the likes of a shower enclosure because the water can affect this type of finish over time.”

The ONIX Penta Bali Stone Matte glass mosaics are proving to be particularly popular for pools, offering a 50x50mm square format with a natural texture reminiscent of those found in tropical Balinese resorts.

“It provides beautiful, crystal-clear water,” says Caldwell, who suggested this tile design to ONIX six or seven years ago. “I just knew they needed to make something that looked like Sukabumi stone, traditionally found in this region of the world, because this tropical look was starting to take off and people were asking for it. 

“For 2024 they’ve now launched a new version of the Penta Bali Stone called Penta Sukabumi 50x50mm, which we will also be stocking throughout our reseller network. The replication is perfect – you can’t tell the difference between this and the real stone, and our glass option is better for the environment.”

“If they are installed correctly, then they should last a lifetime and are UV-stable,” says Caldwell. “Choose the right colour, design, size and format for your next project and it will be on trend for many years to come.

“Glass mosaic will never die.”

Explore the range of ONIX glass mosaic tiles from Global Tile for your next residential or commercial project.