Silestone® is stone, only made better. Recently other companies have started manufacturing similar products using the same worldwide patented process. Silestone® is the world leader of quartz surfacing, with global distribution of product for over 10 years. Others may try to imitate Silestone®, yet it remains to be seen how effective they will become. Natural stone and Silestone® are composed of quartz and silica. Quartz is one of the hardest naturally occurring elements found on the earth and Silestone® is 93% quartz, which is much higher than some, if not all, natural stones. These elements are bonded together with resins and colorfast pigments to assure consistency in coloring with the added features of stain resistance, heat resistance and significantly less susceptibility to cracking. If you like the look and feel of natural stone, but are concerned about real issues such as: Staining Replacing of sealers and waxes Natural fissures (cracks) Inconsistent color and patterns Lack of warranty Then Silestone® is the answer. With a little soap and water, dried on spills come right off. When a stubborn spill sticks to the surface, use a Scotch-brite pad or abrasive cleanser without any worry about scratching the surface of your beautiful countertops. Remember Silestone® is non-porous, so stains and germs will not be absorbed below the surface. Invest in Silestone® with the additional peace of mind that your new kitchen or bath countertop, matching floor and/or shower walls comes with a FULL TEN YEAR RESIDENTIAL WARRANTY against any manufacturing defects.