As the united voice of the stone industry, the Natural Stone Council has been involved in most of the large initiatives within the industry since our establishment in 2003. We lead the charge when it comes to sustainability and research. We also support other associations in their efforts to promote, defend, and improve Genuine Stone® products.

Vision

In 2003, the Natural Stone Council (NSC), a not-for-profit organization, was formed to unite a diverse industry of natural stone producers to actively promote the attributes of natural stone in commercial, residential, government, institutional, educational and all types of applications interior and exterior, and to proactively position natural stone as the premier construction material. The Natural Stone Council is comprised of twelve organizations representing every type of dimensional stone quarried and fabricated in the United States.   The members include Allied Stone Industries, Elberton Granite Association, Indiana Limestone Institute, Natural Stone Institute, Mason Contractors Association of America, National Building Granite Quarries Association, Natural Stone Alliance, New York State Bluestone Association, Northwest Granite Manufacturers Association, and Pennsylvania Bluestone Association. By pooling resources and launching a united branding campaign including the use of a Genuine Stone® coin logo, NSC has successfully established awareness for natural stone’s authenticity. Natural stone producers and retailers now have a trusted symbol by which designers and consumers can recognize natural stone and differentiate it from imitation stone products.

Purpose

The Natural Stone Council conducted significant market research among consumers and the trade regarding their impressions of stone. The research found that while people have a strong emotional attraction to stone, they also have a number of misperceptions about durability, maintenance, hygiene, cost, and the wide availability of  styles and colors.

Based on these findings and in response to their charter, the Natural Stone Council has invested a significant amount of resources to support a national branding effort. The campaign launched in 2007 and remains steady. This comprehensive Genuine Stone® multi-media campaign positions natural stone as a class of materials that uniquely enhances any building or landscaping project.