How Mirage uses EPDs to drive product innovations and communicate sustainability

"Before using One Click LCA, we only published a general, average EPD, without product-specific details. Now, we can generate product-specific EPDs, allowing us to communicate clear sustainability metrics—such as CO₂ savings and reductions in virgin raw material use. The EPD is a starting point for all our sustainability communication."

—Arianna Crasti, ESG & Sustainability Specialist at Mirage and Gruppo Concorde

Mirage: Committed to responsible design and production 

Since 1973, Mirage has developed a reputation for designing and producing quality porcelain stoneware floor and wall tile solutions that cater to commercial, public, and residential spaces. Combining Italian craftsmanship, technological innovation, and sustainable development, Mirage's tiles are celebrated for their durability and creativity – and are available in more than 160 countries.

Reducing carbon emissions in the ceramics industry 

Mirage recognizes the significant challenge of decarbonizing the ceramics industry. To reduce its carbon footprint, the company is leading several initiatives, including:

• Implementing cogeneration plants and heat recovery systems alongside a new expansive 20,000-square-meter photovoltaic system.
• Purchasing electricity from renewable sources 
• Expanding its artificial lake, which conserves virgin water and increases the use of recycled water in Mirage’s manufacturing
• Developing ReSource collections with eco-design processes to reduce environmental impact

EPDs: A game-changer for Mirage's sustainable ReSource collections

"For the first time, Mirage was able to highlight the secondary material content of the new ReSource collection in the publication of EPDs using One Click LCA, introducing a new element to the company’s sustainability communication."

—Arianna Crasti, ESG & Sustainability Specialist at Mirage and Gruppo Concorde

Mirage's ReSource collections are a range of products developed with sustainability at its core, incorporating specific environmental product declarations (EPDs) to highlight its environmental benefits. The collections introduce two major innovations: 

1. Thinner tile profiles: At just 8 mm thick, these tiles require fewer resources, reduce kiln time, and lower transportation impact through optimized logistics, leading to a significant drop in CO₂ emissions.
2. At least 60% recycled material. Mirage's unique regeneration process combines 39.8% natural raw materials with 48.6% processing waste and 11.6% materials that have completed the firing cycle—adding up to a total of 60.2% pre-consumer recycled content.

Achieving a consistent 60% recycled content in lighter-colored tiles presented unique challenges, pushing Mirage to rethink its design approach for the ReSource collections. Instead of starting with the desired color and selecting materials, Mirage now begins with the recycled content target and develops the product around that. This shift is part of Mirage’s goal to inspire similar changes across the ceramics sector, advocating for a more sustainable future.

Meeting the growing demand for sustainability metrics

With One Click LCA, Mirage has significantly enhanced its internal capabilities to produce EPDs and has strengthened client relationships by offering clear, certified sustainability data. This transparency meets a growing demand from clients who seek reliable, verifiable sustainability information rather than the same "green" statements.

Internally, the process has also deepened sustainability knowledge across teams, particularly within the sales department, enabling them to engage with clients more effectively and confidently on sustainability topics. 

Accuracy and speed: The benefits of creating EPDs

For Mirage, using One Click LCA to publish EPDs has brought significant benefits:

• Product-specific customization: Mirage can now generate product-specific EPDs at different stages of the design process in-house, taking into account variables like material composition and thickness, which enhances the accuracy of its sustainability data.
• Faster and easier EPD creation: The streamlined process makes it quicker to create EPDs, ensuring Mirage can manage sustainability data across a variety of products with ease.
• Better communication with clients: Mirage now has a more effective way to communicate its environmental impact, providing clients with the precise data they need to make informed decisions.
• Ongoing support: One Click CLA’s extensive onboarding and training makes sure that users fully understand how they use the EPD tool, saving time and resources.

"The webinars during the onboarding process empowered me to educate my colleagues on reading, comparing, and utilizing EPDs, strengthening their ability to discuss sustainability confidently and accurately across the team and with clients."

—Arianna Crasti, ESG & Sustainability Specialist at Mirage and Gruppo Concorde

Adapting to a rapidly changing landscape 

The role of EPDs has evolved significantly in the ceramics industry, shifting from a mere formality to a critical tool for meeting client demands. Previously, having an EPD was often just a checkbox for clients working on LEED or green-certified projects, without much concern for the details inside. 

However, as sustainability awareness has grown, clients now want to understand the data within the EPDs, particularly regarding environmental impacts such as Global Warming Potential (GWP). This shift has made it increasingly important for Mirage to not only have EPDs but also to ensure that the team is knowledgeable about the information they contain and how to use it effectively.

Staying competitive with One Click LCA

Many of Mirage's distributors now rank suppliers based on the GWP of their products, emphasizing the need for transparent, data-driven sustainability claims. Additionally, the company is frequently in contact with top architectural firms that require GWP data before considering a meeting or collaboration. 

By using One Click LCA, Mirage has become more adept at locating and sharing this information quickly and efficiently, ensuring that it remains competitive in a market that increasingly values verified sustainability credentials.