Belgian Blue Stone vs imported natural stones
Belgian Blue Stone is, of course, subject to competition from low-cost products. Imported from China, India, Vietnam, Turkey or Ireland, these stones are sometimes used instead of our stone. Yet they have neither the same appearance nor the same technical properties.
Why opt for Belgian Blue Stone?
Mechanical and chemical characteristics
Belgian Blue Stone is a stone of unrivalled resistance. Massive and compact, with a low porosity, it resists compression and wear. It withstands aggression such as pollution, frost, chlorine, rain and wind, even laden with sea salts. The crush strength and chemical composition of Asian stones are very variable. In addition, the frost resistance tests are not carried out under Belgian climate and construction conditions.
Aesthetic considerations
Exotic stones have neither the same hues nor the same patina as Belgian Blue Stone. In addition, they do not include the crinoids that characterise Belgian Blue Stone. Alongside Belgian Blue Stone, the heterogeneity of appearance and quality of an Asian stone is very visible. This is why it is best to avoid combining the two origins on the same site.
Selection criteria
While in Belgium only 15 to 20% of the stones mined are retained for marketing as ornamental stones, Asian stones are not selected according to the same quality criteria.
Uniformity of deliveries
Belgian Blue Stone is a local stone, carefully selected on the basis of strict quality and aesthetic criteria. Asian stones come from various and often uncontrollable deposits that give rise to non-homogeneous deliveries.
Ethical considerations
Asian stones are produced in human and social conditions that are very different from the Belgian conditions in terms of safety, working time and child labour. They generate no fallout in terms of employment in Belgium and instead threaten the thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the Belgian quarry sector.
Certifications
LBelgian Blue Stone has obtained certifications guaranteeing its quality (ATG with certification, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and Denomination of Local Origin). Imported products undergo only a few tests that are not representative of all the criteria.