When we were in Germany visiting one of our suppliers, Bette, we learnt all about the construction behind some of the amazing products that we use. One of those was steel enamel that Bette make their products out of. What blew us away was how hardwearing it is.
Many companies will tell you that their baths, shower trays and sinks are hard wearing – not many of them would allow you to set fire to nail polish remover on it, hit it with a hammer or paint it with nail polish. Steel enamel is non-porous exactly like glass and so you can do all these things and more to it without breaking a sweat.
As Interior Designers we are constantly honing our skills and constantly learning. We take on hours of Continued Professional Development every year and learning how to create a quality bathroom design is as important as creating something that is unique and beautiful. They should go hand in hand when we are working on a design.
Steel enamel shower trays are one of the many way in which we can create a design that we know will stand the test of time. It is almost indestructible and can be easily cleaned with glass cleaner! Even taking off permanent marker without scrubbing.
Our very kind hosts at Bette even set nail polish remover alight on the shower tray and there wasn’t a single mark left on the tray after. Honestly it was pretty magical to watch. Perfect for a client who may spill nail polish in a sink or is worried about how it will stain with hair dye!
Steel enamel is titanium-steel alloy that is coated in enamel. Harder than marble, plastic or steel, but non-porous and resistant to abrasion and UV rays it is created through a lot of heat and some very thin coats of enamel that is applied by some pretty special looking machinery. In fact there are three ultra-thin layers of our special enamelling formula to the titanium steel carcass in two firing steps at 850° Celsius. That does explain why is was lovely and toasty as we walked through this part of the factory!
Bette chose to focus on the natural materials glass and steel more than 60 years ago. All of their products are 100% recyclable. Bathroom elements are of lasting value, gentle on the skin, and manufactured completely without chemicals or solvents. They even draw two thirds of the energy used in the manufacturing process from our own sources, with their new factory having solar panels on the roof.
Each Bette product has an Environmental Product Declaration verified in accordance with ISO 14025 and complies with the LEED-certified U.S. Green Building Council.
It is not only Eco Friendly with how it is made but it’s cleaning is so easy it can be done with vinegar as dirt and bacteria are unable to adhere to the glass-hard, non-porous surface. Making it a long termEco Friendly choice.
Most definitely. If you are looking for a product that is going to stand the test of time in your bathroom going for a steel enamel bath, shower tray or sink will take a massive weight off your mind. You will know that you have made a decision for the future. There is nothing that says quality more in a bathroom design than something that is built for the future.