Most synthetics are 92% quartz and 8% polyester resins. They are strong, but they are monochromatic. They burn, scratch and fade. Colors are achieved by tinting the soft polyester adhesives. The real name should be Engineered Gravel because that is exactly why it was invented, [read the blog for details] as you might imagine, we monitor that market quite closely. We find that consumers prefer natural products to synthetics and most stone buyers tend to prefer stones with at least a little movement. Synthetic materials simply do not offer the pattern and color variations of natural stone or performance or proven investment returns