A Journey of Discovery
In 1996, Naomi Neilson founded Native Trails. Using her passion for artisan tradition, sustainability, and fair trade practices to bring the work of undiscovered artisans from central Mexico first to central California and then on to living spaces throughout North America. Combining the artisans’ age-old traditions with contemporary design and sustainable materials, Naomi broke new ground with Native Trails iconic copper sinks and helped to introduce copper as a mainstay material for the kitchen and bath.
There’s nothing like a secret rendezvous to make the heart jump for joy. Rendezvous farmhouse sink, however, is less than discreet – be prepared for it to be the statement piece of your kitchen design. The showy curved apron front with its durable precious metal finish boasts luxury and refinement. The Italian crafted fireclay sink is beautiful, yes - and built to endure the test of time. The Precious Metals Collection was inspired by Native Trails’ 25th “silver” anniversary.
The Design Process
The Precious Metals Collection celebrates Native Trails’ 25th anniversary! A luxurious new addition featuring genuine silver, platinum and 24k gold glazed fireclay sinks for the kitchen, bar and bath. The collection is crafted by Italian artisans from fireclay, coated with precious metal glazes.
The Umbrian region of central Italy, with its exceptional clay soils, has a long history of ceramics going back to the Bronze Age. It also boasts a rich heritage of gold and silver smiths that use ancient methods to create beautiful metallic glazes over handmade pottery.
Combining this age-old artisan culture with modern techniques and design, the Precious Metals Collection comes to life. Handcrafted of fine fireclay, fired twice at over 2200°F, each sink is then hand glazed with precious metal and fired yet a third time.
The result represents the finest aesthetic of luxury while paying homage to a storied past.
Lastly, each sink is protected with Native Trails’ exclusive, custom formulation sealer for ultimate durability. The result is an incredibly durable and strikingly beautiful collection of bath and kitchen sinks, that not only pay homage to the past, but are tough enough to ensure a long future.
Native Trails combines age-old artisan tradition with sustainable materials and sophisticated, functional design, adding character to distinctive spaces.
Going Global
Naomi and her team continue to find new trails to be forged, researching new offerings and traveling throughout the world, searching out undiscovered artisans who can bring life to Native Trails’ innovative designs. Native Trails has expanded far beyond copper sinks; its artisan-made product lines have grown to include sinks and bathtubs made from groundbreaking NativeStone® concrete, spun-glass Italian sinks, fireclay sinks glazed with precious metals, vanities made of reclaimed wood and other sustainable materials, and a range of home decor products.
Leading the Industry
Soon after introducing its first copper basin, it became Native Trails’ core product. Native Trails was the first company to have its copper sinks certified by the UPC and listed by IAPMO, where it assisted in writing the copper basin standards.
The Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association (DPHA) took notice of the company’s fast rise and solid accomplishments by naming Native Trails CEO Naomi Neilson the Manufacturing Professional of the Year in 2005. As a Certified B Corporation since 2019, Native Trails is proud to join others in using business as a force for good. Today, Native Trails leads the industry in artisan crafted, eco-conscious furnishings and fixtures for high end kitchen and bath design, and is featured in premier showrooms throughout the United States and Canada.
