Clients who have chosen natural products sometimes complain that tiles do not match shower linings or bath surrounds or skirting or vanity tops, even though they are the same material. Stone wholesaler Stone Republic, based in the UK in a 1,200m² warehouse in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, has overcome that problem by ensuring tiles and slabs – and even mosaics and wash basins –  all come from the same block.

It achieves that by buying the blocks and having them processed especially for it. It means it can offer tiles and matching slabs and basins on about 85% of its products. And it claims exclusivity on around 30% of those products.

Reis Emre, who heads the business in the UK, says: “We are always looking for something to raise expectations. This is not just a business; I love stone. If anything new comes out I want to see it.”

Stone Republic has the muscle to be able to buy whole blocks and get it cut as it wants it because the company, based in Turkey, sells its materials all over the world, for both commercial and domestic projects.

On working conditions, Reis says he has been tackling poor working conditions in quarries and factories for 10 years and he believes conditions have improved and are continuing to do so.

For a virtual tour of Stone Republic’s premises, visit bit.ly/Stone-Republic.