Premium, Standard and Commercial are the grades Morbi factories use to sort the tiles from a production run, from best to lowest. Premium is sometimes called Export or AAA, and Commercial is sometimes called Economy.
There is no single industry rulebook behind these names. Each factory sets its own definitions, so a Premium tile from one plant can differ from a Premium tile from another. That is why the grade name alone is not enough for a contract.
Why every run produces several grades
No kiln produces identical tiles. Small changes in the raw material, the press, the glaze or the firing leave some tiles with surface marks, slight warping or shade differences. At the end of the line, a sorting process checks each tile and places it in a grade.
The lower grades are still sold, at a lower price, often to markets or projects where small faults matter less. Price differs by grade, so knowing exactly what you are paying for matters.
The share of a run that reaches the top grade depends on the factory, the product and how well the line is running. Large formats and polished surfaces are harder to make without faults, so sorting for them tends to be stricter.
What usually separates the grades
- Premium tiles have no visible surface defects at a normal viewing distance and stay within tight shade and size limits.
- Standard tiles may have a small number of minor defects per box, such as a tiny pinhole or a faint line, that are hard to see once laid.
- Commercial tiles allow more and larger defects, wider shade variation and more warping, and suit low-cost projects or areas that will be covered.
Get the definition in writing
Before you order, ask the factory for its written grade definition for the grade you are buying. Attach it to your purchase order and refer to it in your inspection terms. If the factory will not put its grade in writing, treat the grade name as a sales label rather than a promise. A useful definition answers the following questions.
- How many tiles with defects are allowed per box, and which defects count.
- What shade variation is allowed within one box and across the order.
- What size and thickness tolerance applies, and how calibre is sorted.
- What warpage and edge straightness limits apply.
- Whether sorting is by machine, by people, or both, and how often it is checked.
Batch, shade and calibre
Grade is only one of the marks on a tile box. Each box also carries a batch number, a shade code and a calibre code. Tiles from different shades or calibres do not lay well together, even within one grade. Ask for each design in your order to come from one batch, one shade and one calibre, and write that into the purchase order.
Grade problems usually appear after the order is paid for. The steps that stop them are in how to avoid mixed grades in a tile shipment. When you compare offers, check that every factory is quoting the same grade under the same definition, as explained in comparing quotes from Morbi factories.
How we help
We get each factory's grade definition in writing, check it against your approved sample and inspect the boxes at loading for grade, shade and calibre. If you want an order that arrives as the grade you paid for, book a free sourcing review.