Case study · Taiwan marble · U.S. mass retail

How did Taiwan's Hualien marble get back onto U.S. mass-retail shelves?

By going back to a proven source the market had stopped looking at. Hualien, on Taiwan's east coast, once supplied U.S. retailers with marble; the stone and the craftsmen were still there, only the orders had gone. Jason Craft developed boards, trays and turned pieces with a Hualien stone works, and in 2026 Taiwan marble won a U.S. mass-retail order through one of the leading U.S. importers we work with.

Sawing a block of Hualien marble — Sawing the block

Turning and shaping marble by hand in Hualien — Shaping

Hand polishing Hualien marble — Hand polishing

Hualien marble discs showing natural veining — Natural veining

~1 weekTypical turnaroundFor work that takes a month elsewhere

30 yrsOn this stoneSome of the craftsmen

1 areaQuarry to polishingNo waiting on stone from far away

2026Back at U.S. mass retailThrough a leading U.S. importer

The challenge

The saws were running. The orders were not.

Hualien sits on one of Asia's richest marble reserves, and its stone industry once supplied U.S. retailers including Macy's, Crate & Barrel and TJX. Then retail buying shifted, and importers looking for marble outside Italy and China stopped looking at Taiwan.

When we walked into a Hualien stone works, nothing that mattered had left: the saws were still running and the craftsmen were still there, some with thirty years on this stone. The only thing missing was the orders.

Marble slab on the saw in Hualien — Inside a Hualien stone works

What we did

Develop for the shelf, then let the stone sell

We developed boards, trays and turned pieces with the stone works, and agreed the acceptable range of veining and color against approved reference samples before production, because natural stone varies by block. Food-contact items are sealed with a food-safe sealer and tested to the destination market's requirements, and packaging is drop-tested, because marble is heavy and breaks expensively.

The case we made to buyers rested on three things that cannot be copied elsewhere: veining that comes out of the ground rather than a process, turned and hand-polished pieces where no two are alike, and speed. With quarry, saws, lathes and finishers in one area, samples and repeats do not wait on stone shipped from far away.

Hand polishing a marble board — Every piece is finished by hand

Film: inside a marble works in Hualien

One minute, filmed at a Hualien stone works in 2026. English captions available.

Transcript

In Hualien, Taiwan — home to one of the world's richest marble reserves — stone this beautiful takes patience to earn.

These are the pieces this factory makes — cheese boards, mortars, rolling pins, cake stands. Chances are, you've already seen Taiwan marble on U.S. retail shelves.

For half a century, Hualien has been Asia's Marble Kingdom. Its stone rivals Italian Carrara — clean white fields, soft grey veining, and a density built for everyday use.

Every block is cut, shaped, and drilled by craftsmen who have worked this stone for generations.

From turned pedestals to hand-polished boards, every piece carries the quarry's natural veining — no two alike.

Today, this marble reaches North American shelves — supplied to Walmart through leading U.S. importers — with the consistency and on-time delivery major retailers depend on.

Jason Craft Corporation. Taiwan marble, made for retail. Let's build your next collection.

The result

In 2026, Taiwan marble won a U.S. mass-retail order through one of the leading U.S. importers we work with. We do not think it is a one-off. Every importer is hunting for the next sourcing country; the strongest China+1 option is not always a new one. Sometimes it is a proven one the market stopped looking at.

For the sourcing question behind this case, read Where can U.S. importers source marble tableware outside Italy and China? For products, MOQ and what to agree before an order, see Marble tabletop & décor.

ProductsMarble tabletop & décor

InsightMarble tableware outside Italy and China

Case studiesAll eight programs

Frequently asked questions

Did Hualien marble supply U.S. retailers before?

Yes. Hualien's marble industry once supplied U.S. retailers including Macy's, Crate & Barrel and TJX. Retail buying later shifted elsewhere, and importers stopped looking at Taiwan for marble.

Why is Hualien faster than other marble sources?

The quarry, saws, lathes and finishers are in the same area, so a sample or a repeat order does not wait on stone from far away. Work that takes a month elsewhere can ship out of Hualien in about a week.

What marble products were in the program?

Boards, trays and turned pieces with natural veining and hand finishing. The same works also makes mortars, cake stands, coasters, rolling pins and decorative pieces.

Planning a marble program?

Send the item, the size and the target retail price. We can arrange samples from Hualien.

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