A New Dimension in Printed Quartz from HanStone Quartz: Discover Breton CHROMIA Technology

The technology behind our next generation of stone-inspired designs is coming this winter.

A beautiful countertop begins with its design but how that design is created matters, too. The softness of a vein, the transition between shades, and the relationship between the surface and its edges all contribute to the finished look.

As HanStone Quartz prepares to introduce new printed designs this winter, we’re taking a closer look at the technology behind them: Breton CHROMIA. It opens new possibilities for translating the intricate character of natural stone into quartz surfaces.

What Is Printed Quartz?

Printed quartz uses digital decoration to introduce patterns and color details to an engineered surface. It gives designers another way to explore the look of natural stone, from delicate movement to more expressive veining.

Yet “printed quartz” describes a broad category. To understand a particular product, it helps to look beyond the pattern and ask how the decoration is integrated, how the surface is finished, and what the material looks like at an exposed edge.

What Makes Breton CHROMIA Different?

CHROMIA combines precision inkjet printing with a controlled thermal process. Its defining feature is high-energy diffusion, which carries color into the slab’s resin matrix to create subsurface decoration.

Breton distinguishes this from sublimation printing, which uses gaseous diffusion and produces shallower color penetration. The difference is how the decoration becomes integrated into the material, not simply the image being printed.

This distinction gives customers a more useful way to evaluate printed surfaces. Rather than treating every printing method as interchangeable, it brings attention to the process behind the finished slab.

Read More about Breton CHROMIA Technology

Fine Detail, Thoughtful Finishing

CHROMIA’s eight-color printing system operates at 600 × 600 dpi, supporting intricate patterns and nuanced color variation. Its subsurface color integration also allows factory polishing to high-gloss or satin finishes without compromising the decoration, according to Breton.

For a stone-inspired design, the details work together. A fine vein introduces movement; a gradual shift in tone softens the background; layered patterns give the composition dimension. The finish then influences how those details interact with light.

These qualities are especially relevant when choosing a surface that will occupy a large part of a room. A countertop should feel balanced both up close and across the space, complementing cabinetry, flooring, hardware, and lighting.

Looking Beyond the Surface: The Edge Detail

The face of a slab is only part of a countertop’s appearance. Exposed edges bring the material into view from another angle, making them an important part of the overall design.

Our upcoming printed quartz offering pairs its digitally decorated surface with full-body design detail visible at exposed edges. Together, these elements contribute to a more cohesive finished appearance.

Surface printing and full-body design describe different features. CHROMIA’s color diffusion does not, by itself, mean that the printed image runs through the slab’s entire thickness. When selecting a countertop, viewing both the slab face and an edge sample helps show how those features work together.

A Preview of What’s Coming: Lumielle

One of the upcoming designs created using Breton CHROMIA technology is Lumielle, arriving this winter.

Lumielle captures the quiet beauty of natural stone with a soft, luminous base and feathered taupe-grey veining. Its delicate layers create subtle dimension, bringing warmth and elegance to a space.

It offers a first look at how this technology will shape our upcoming designs, combining carefully composed surface detail with attention to the finished countertop.

More details are coming this winter.

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