The floor tile looks that export buyers most often ask Morbi factories for are marble, wood, concrete and natural stone. Within each, the colours, finishes and sizes that sell best change by market and over time.
There is no reliable public ranking of designs. This article describes the looks buyers commonly request and how to choose for your own market. It does not give sales figures.
The main design families
- Marble looks, from white with grey veins to dark and gold-veined stones, often in high-gloss PGVT or in slabs.
- Wood looks in plank formats, from light oak to dark walnut tones, usually matt or textured.
- Concrete and cement looks in grey, beige and greige tones, usually matt, in large squares.
- Natural stone looks such as travertine, limestone and slate, often matt or lightly textured.
- Terrazzo and speckle looks, with small chips on a plain ground.
- Pattern and encaustic looks, often in smaller sizes, used as feature floors.
Marble and wood looks are covered in more depth in marble-look tiles and wood-look tiles.
How taste differs by market
Taste differs widely between regions. Some markets favour high-gloss marble looks in light colours. Others prefer matt stone and concrete in large formats. Wood looks sell where buyers want the feel of timber without its upkeep.
Climate and building type matter too. Hot climates and tiled homes often use floor tiles in every room. Colder markets use tiles mainly in kitchens, bathrooms and commercial spaces.
Talk to your installers, retailers and project customers before you order. They know what sells locally better than any factory catalogue.
Finish and size trends
Finish and size often matter as much as the look. Matt, satin and textured finishes have grown alongside high-gloss polished tiles. Large formats such as 600x1200, 800x1600 and slabs are increasingly common in many export ranges.
Larger sizes need flatter tiles, better installation and stronger packing. Before you add them, check that your customers' installers can handle them. Finishes are compared in glossy, matt, satin and carving finishes.
How to choose designs
- Start from your best sellers and ask factories for close matches before adding new looks.
- Choose a small number of designs per container so each meets the factory's minimum.
- Check the number of faces on bold marble and wood looks.
- Check slip resistance for any design that will be used in wet areas.
- Check whether the design is in ready stock or made to order, which affects lead time.
- Ask how long the factory will keep the design in production, so you can reorder.
Our guide on choosing designs from a tile catalogue covers the catalogue side in more detail.
Next step
We shortlist designs that match your market, check them on current production and confirm reorder availability. To build a first range, book a free sourcing review.