Granite vs Marble: Durability, Cost & Maintenance Compared | Stonelink
Granite and marble are the two names most homeowners already know, but knowing the names is not the same as understanding how they perform once installed. Both are natural stone, both have been used in buildings for centuries, and both can look superb in the right setting. After supplying both from our Shuitou and Xiamen […]
Marble vs Quartzite: Which Is Better for Kitchen Countertops? | Stonelink
Choosing between marble and quartzite for a kitchen countertop is one of the most common decisions our buyers face, and the two stones get confused for good reason. Both can look strikingly similar in the slab yard, especially the white-and-grey varieties, but they behave very differently once they are cut, installed, and lived on. At […]
Quartz vs Quartzite: Why the Names Confuse Buyers (and What Importers Must Know)
The short answer: Quartz is a man-made surface of roughly 90–95% crushed quartz bound with resin; quartzite is a natural metamorphic rock formed from quartz sandstone under heat and pressure. They share a name and a hardness near 7, but behave differently with heat, acid, and seams — and much stone sold as “quartzite” is […]
Marble vs Quartzite: Get the Marble Look Without the Etching
The short answer: If a client wants the pale, veined look of marble but worries about acid etching and scratches, quartzite delivers a similar grey-and-white aesthetic at roughly Mohs 7 — far harder than marble’s calcite at ~3 — while resisting the etching that ruins marble around lemons, wine, and vinegar. The Client Who Wants […]
Porcelain Slabs & Sintered Stone: The Fast-Rising Category for Indoor + Outdoor
Large-format slab surfaces that carry from indoor counters to outdoor living — the use case porcelain and sintered stone were built for. The short answer: Porcelain slab and sintered stone are the fastest-growing stone-category line for 2026 because they are stain-proof, heat-proof, near-zero absorption, can be made thin, and work indoors and out — a […]
Warm Neutrals & Dramatic Veining: The 2026 Palette Reshaping Stone Imports
Warm-neutral marble with gold veining — the look overseas buyers are swapping in for last decade’s cool grey. The short answer: The 2026 palette trades cool grey for cream, beige, and greige, and pairs those warm neutrals with bold, dramatic veining — so importers should buy warm marbles, gold-veined Calacatta, and warm-grey granite, and expect […]
2026 Natural Stone Trends: What Overseas Buyers Are Asking For
Project-spec marble from our Four Seasons line — the kind of warm, veined slab overseas buyers are requesting more often in 2026. The short answer: In 2026, overseas buyers are asking for quartzite, warm neutrals, bold veining with bookmatched slabs, exotic granites, and fast-growing porcelain slabs — and the smart importer stocks against all six, […]
Granite Is Back: Exotic Granites (Patagonia, Blue Bahia, Fantasy Brown) Buyers Want in 2026
The short answer: Granite is returning to specification sheets, and the demand is led by exotic varieties — Patagonia, Blue Bahia, and Fantasy Brown — whose dramatic movement flatters a kitchen far more than plain grey granite, while keeping granite’s native Mohs 6–7 hardness, heat tolerance, and acid resistance. Granite’s Comeback, Driven by the Exotic […]
Best Natural Stone for Outdoor Kitchens & Cladding (UV, Salt, Weather)
EXTERIOR & CLADDING · Updated 2026 · For importers, fabricators, contractors & specifiers Granite is the workhorse of outdoor stone — UV-stable, dense, and unfazed by freeze-thaw and salt. The short answer: For outdoor kitchens and cladding, dense granite and select quartzite are the safe choices — they resist UV fading, freeze-thaw, and salt. Marble […]
Polished vs Honed vs Leathered Marble: Which Finish Fits Your Project?
STONE FINISHES · Updated 2026 · For importers, fabricators, contractors & specifiers The same marble can read completely different depending on whether it is polished, honed, or leathered. The short answer: Polished marble is mirror-gloss and most stain-resistant but shows etching; honed marble is matte and hides etch marks but is more porous; leathered marble […]
Is Marble Good for Kitchen Countertops? Pros, Cons & the Maintenance Reality
KITCHEN SURFACES · Updated 2026 · For importers, fabricators, contractors & specifiers A polished marble countertop — beautiful, but it requires a realistic understanding of etching and sealing before specification. The short answer: Marble is a superb kitchen surface for buyers who accept patina: it is heat-tolerant, naturally cool, and visually unmatched, but its calcite […]
Factory vs Trading Company: How to Choose the Right Stone Supplier in China
SUPPLIER SELECTION · Updated 2026 · For importers, wholesalers & project specifiers Inside a direct stone factory: block cutting, polishing, and QC inspection are handled under one roof. The short answer: A direct factory gives you the lowest unit price, tighter quality control, and customization, but usually requires a higher MOQ (often 200–500 m²). A […]