Porcelain tile is the hardest and densest of all the ceramic products. Those characteristics are what make porcelain extremely durable and able to resist chipping and cracking. But can you fathom a hard porcelain tile product that actually feels soft to the touch? It’s difficult to wrap your head around, but Crossville® has cracked the code. Our talented team of ceramic R&D engineers right here at our facility in Crossville, Tennessee, have created a new tile finish that is extraordinarily touchable and, indeed, feels soft. FeatherSoft is engineered into the manufacturing process rather than applied as a surface coating, ensuring tactile comfort and visual refinement without sacrificing performance.
We named this new finish FeatherSoft, which, from its name, seems to be the exact opposite of what you expect from porcelain. Despite this “soft” finish, these porcelain tiles are as dense and durable as ever. This tile’s wet DCOF (dynamic coefficient of friction) is remarkably high, so the soft finish has no adverse effect on its safety. (DCOF relates to traction and slipperiness on wet ceramic floors when a person walks on them. Learn more about DCOF here.)
How Does Crossville Make FeatherSoft?
We can’t tell you. The finish is proprietary to Crossville and is a trade secret — we keep our proprietary finishes to ourselves! (Click here to learn more about our other special finishes.) We CAN tell you that our R&D engineers worked tirelessly for months, making hundreds (and perhaps over a thousand) of samples, before they felt comfortable proposing this new surface technology for our Beljn™ porcelain tile collection — the first, but not the last, Crossville collection to feature this technological breakthrough.
Why Did Crossville Create FeatherSoft?
Crossville is always at the forefront of both new tile technology and emerging, timeless design trends. Our R&D team works closely with global technological leaders – scientific, regulatory, institutional, and commercial – who are passionate about finding answers to so-called “unsolvable problems” involving porcelain materials, glazes, and finishes. In collaboration with our product development team, whose members engage with top global trend forecasters, this talented group of professionals creates unique value propositions and solves the most significant commercial and residential design challenges.
One key interior trend for 2025, “Restorative Realms,” celebrates designs that nurture people and the planet. The trend focuses on the environment and elevates designs, products, and services that help us reduce the strain on the planet and reclaim a sense of peace, balance, and rest. The idea of restorative softness in product design emphasizes soft edges, shapes, and textures that provide a healing, restorative effect. Our FeatherSoft surface technology aligns beautifully with this design trend and helps bring comfort to everyday life
Crossville Porcelain Tile Collections with FeatherSoft
Technology
You can experience this extraordinary surface for yourself in three of Crossville’s current product lines. Both of these stunning porcelain tile collections are made in the USA from abundant, natural raw materials. Keep an eye out for even more FeatherSoft products in the future!
Beljn™
Beljn porcelain tile was our first collection with this finish. Inspired by Belgian Bluestone, a unique limestone with an incredible history that dates back approximately 350 million years. Like its inspiration, Beljn features the look of visible ancient fossils, corals, and white calcite veins, yet the collection is decidedly contemporary in color and sizing. Beljn is carbon-neutral, making it a beautiful choice for your sustainable design projects. The collection is also highly versatile. The unpolished FeatherSoft interior finish has a coordinating bush-hammered style exterior finish for designs that flow seamlessly from indoors to out. Order a free tile sample to see and feel this amazing collection.
Beljn porcelain tile with FeatherSoft finish in Black Iron
Sociale™
Soft, yet strong, Sociale™ porcelain tile collection features six luxurious natural stone looks that exude quiet elegance. Featuring the FeatherSoft™ finish and a coordinating exterior finish for inside-out flexibility, Sociale is visually appealing yet practical and durable. It is also an eco-conscious alternative to natural stone that’s decidedly livable and infinitely elegant. Order a free tile sample to see for yourself!
Sociale porcelain tile with FeatherSoft in Bronze Amani
Cleve™
Cleve™ porcelain tile brings FeatherSoft™ technology into a sophisticated quartzite-inspired look, pairing the collection’s layered veining, crystalline detail, and rich variation with the technology’s signature tactile appeal. Available in four curated colorways ranging from soft and serene to bold and dramatic, Cleve™ porcelain tile shows how FeatherSoft can support both quieter palettes and more expressive, bold looks. Our Cleve™ porcelain tile collection is a strong example of how the surface technology works across different visual directions while maintaining the refined feel that sets it apart.
Cleve porcelain floor and wall tile in Ivory Ridge.
You Need to Feel it to Believe it
Order Your Free Crossville Tile Sample with FeatherSoft Finish Today!
You can quickly and easily order a sample of any Crossville tile through Crossville’s Sample Express. To order your free tile samples, just set up an account here to get started*. Once you have an account, ordering a tile sample is as simple as clicking a button — and samples are always free.
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