Ame Quiriconi, president of Tiger Mountain Innovations, saw that clients seeking an “organic look and feel” chose her product. The company offers a countertop material with the upscale appeal of stone, but made of recycled paper, recycled glass, fly ash, and cement.

Tiger’s Squak Mountain Stone line compares to honed limestone, slate, or soapstone, with a rough, straight-from-the-quarry look. The surface is marked by air bubbles and subtle color variations. Tiger also offers Trinity, a reflective countertop surface made from 75 percent recycled glass, for a shiny, polished surface.

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Other products have an even more modern edge. Made of post-industrial scrap aluminum and resins, Alkemi countertops by Renewed Materials come with a honed finish, or a textured finish that flaunts individual metallic shards. “They are very design-driven and contemporary,” says owner Demir Hamami.

Countertops that use recycled plastic offer a useful purpose for a common material. According to EPA statistics, 30.7 million tons of plastic entered the municipal solid waste stream in 2007. 3form’s 100 Percent countertop line, for example, is made entirely of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It features a white or black background with flecks of color, or solid neutrals with subtle metallic accents. Also made of recycled HDPE, Yemm & Hart’s Origins surfaces sport solid colors or a blend of hues.

Whether in the laundry room, the bath, or the kitchen, recycled countertops play both to a homeowner’s aesthetic and conscience. “I think they are appealing to everyone,” Belcher says, “They’re pretty, and they have an added value, too.”

Vetrazzo. The maker has added new colors to its line of countertops made of 85 percent recycled glass. The introductions include Floating Blue, a formerly limited-edition surface with chunks of blue glass, and Cool Titanium with Patina, a light and dark gray neutral mix. 510-234-5550. www.vetrazzo.com.