Why American Glass Parts Are Better Than Those Made In China

Lots of householders like to make home improvements, believing that a change of décor will enhance their living space and may also increase the value of their properties. But only the more discerning will go the extra mile to make sure they are truly improving rather than simply providing a different look.

To do that requires having higher quality products, and that is certainly true when it comes to glass. There is a reason we stock glass hardware from the United States and not China, and it is all to do with quality.

Quite simply, American glass-making is renowned for its quality, and that from China is not. This applies to all sorts of uses of the material, not just in domestic fixtures and fittings.

For instance, Canadian car windscreens firm Windshield Surgeons has noted that there used to be a “clear divide” in glass quality. It stated: “Mature North American and European glass producers actually made their glass domestically. While glass sourced from other foreign countries (or “Chinese Glass”) was made by smaller organizations - frequently at a lower standard.”

However, it noted, in recent years this distinction has become less clear as some American firms have followed the route of globalisation by relocating glass factories to other countries where the quality of glass is not always so high, yet it still comes with the brand stamp of a North American company.

Windshield Surgeons went on to assure customers that its North American glass is just that, and not something made on behalf of a US or Canadian company somewhere else. This is borne out by associated quality kitemarks.

We take this same approach, knowing that higher quality items will last longer and look better.

Part of the problem with Chinese glass is its prioritisation of quantity over quality. As far back as 2013 China Daily was reporting that the country had become the largest flat glass producer in the world by volume.

However, even the most prestigious glass items made in China can come with flaws, as was shown in dramatic style earlier this year.

The country has many glass bridges over gorges and ravines, aimed at providing tourist experiences for those equipped with a good head for heights. But, earlier this year, a glass panel on a bridge on Piyan Mountain blew out in high winds, leaving one man dangling perilously above a 330 ft drop.

Considering that windy weather is an obvious feature of mountains - especially when it is funnelled through valleys between peaks - this was an extraordinary failure and almost had tragic consequences. Nor is it the first time an incident like this has occurred in China, with glass bridge users suffering death or injuries in a number of previous incidents.

Of course, your bathroom is unlikely to suffer from a buffering by heavy winds, unless you leave the window open in a storm. But given the obvious dangers of broken glass as well as the cost and inconvenience of replacing it, there can be no substitute for quality. Besides the greater safety, your home will look all the better for it.