While checking up on other sites selling copper, I come across some pretty interesting comments. I would like to use the Copper Sinks Direct Blog to dispell some of the myths out there.

Like this one: “Our sinks are comparable to other top brand names.”

Of course any reseller of copper sinks or any other products out there are free to make any claims they want, or that they have been told by whom ever they are buying from.

Well, I’m here to tell you the Copperhead Sinks experience first hand.

My husband and I started Copperhead Sinks some 5 years ago. We started by using a middleman to purchase sinks from a factory in Mexico. This factory was supposed to be an exclusive factory in Mexico making sinks for the only big name copper reseller in the U.S. Well, so much for being exclusive, we started buying from the same factory. Everything seemed to be going smoothly at first. We had a website built, purchased a small quantity of copper sinks and a toll free number and off we went. Well, business boomed and we were in over our heads from the beginning. Suddenly, the factory was too busy to get our stuff to us in a timely fashion. Then we’d get products and they wouldn’t be what we were expecting, the quality was starting to suffer and we were left wonder what to do next.

Well, my husband started going to the factory, keeping watch of what was going on. Trying to get a handle on why they couldn’t keep up etc. Our days of purchasing those “comparable brands” was going to be short lived. It wasn’t very long before my husband with some help from some of the best artisans in the business started his own shop in the mountains of Mexico. Suddenly, we weren’t purchasing a comparable brand, wer were becoming a brand, the Copperhead Sinks Brand. Copperhead Sinks, makes sinks for the online retail sales of Copper Sinks Direct. We don’t have a storefront in Mexico, we don’t sell Copperhead Sinks to anyone other than Copper Sinks Direct.

Do other places sell Copper Sinks, sure they do, but you won’t know where they come from and if any special care was given to them before they made it to your door. If you buy a Copperhead Sink, know that they come from a little town in Mexico, made in a shop run by an American, who makes all his sinks for Copperhead.

We also took the next step in our quest for quality and had our sinks tested to the standards of the Universal Plumbing Code (UPC) for quality inspections of our copper sinks and our facility in Mexico. If the copper sinks on other sites want to say they are comparable, then they need to show their IAPMO approval, then and only then will there be something to compare, other than the claim that their sinks are made in Mexico.

Now, years later, my husband remains in Mexico to ensure that our copper sinks artisans maintain the highest level of craftsmanship possible. He is constantly creating new designs and working on more efficient ways of getting the sinks manufactured and shipped to our warehouse in Dallas, Texas. We strive to make sure that our copper sinks are the best in the business.

We run our operation so that custom work is a welcome challenge for our excellent team of coppersmiths and artisans. Custom sizes and designs are not a problem for our copper shop, we can create and ship within a matter of days.

Copperhead Sinks cannot be compared to anyone else. If you own a Copperhead Sinks, then you know you have the best copper sink, direct to you from an American in Mexico.

Next topic to comment on…”Pure Copper Sinks”, 100% pure copper sinks, get proof, as I have yet to find anyone that can prove it. More in my next post…

We at Copper Sinks Direct have the largest selection available and are able to custom make what you don’t find on our site. Remodeling your kitchen and need a specific size sink, not a problem, we can make it. Need tile, but don’t see the design you want. Send us a drawing or a picture and we can get you the quantity and size that you need for the job. Like the Designer Front Apron Sinks, but want that design on a 36” instead of a 33”, no problem, it can be done. All of our sinks are made in Mexico by an American Owned and Operated Factory. All sinks shown on our site are made by our skilled artisans for sale on Copper Sinks Direct.

Many years ago, when we started our online store, we wanted to carry the best product available. We started like many of the start ups that crop up everyday. But our quest for the best was not working in our favor. At the time there was really only one company bringing copper into the US and we were buying from the same factory that they were. We found that factory to be slow and unreliable. We were also relying on a middle man to get us what we wanted when we needed it. Again, not working out as we had hoped. With the fast growing popularity of copper, we found ourselves in an uncomfortable position. Too many orders, not enough product…

To make a long story not quite so long, deciding to travel to Mexico, we started gathering the knowledge on the processes and techniques in the making of our products. We decided to start our own shop with the help of a hand selected group of the top artisians in the region. It didn’t take long for our shop to eliminate the need for the other factories products. Copperhead Sinks was born and has strived to make the best copper products available in the world. Our shop is run by an American who strives everyday to over see production, inspect the sinks and give them his mark of approval before shipping up to Copper Sinks Direct warehouse in Dallas, Texas.

At Copper Sinks Direct, “we provide you the absolute best copper products available in the world.” To back up this claim, we have had our Copperhead Sinks inspected, tested, and approved for IAPMO and UPC certification. This process includes lab testing of our copper purity, durability, standardized drain holes for additional plumbing fixtures; like drains and faucets, and a overall approval that our sinks are premium quality.
Also, site evaluations of our workshop, Quality Assurance Documentation, and Quality Process Policies were put in place as well. Many local and state municipalities’ construction inspectors for new & remodeling require all products bear UPC labels. Copper Sinks that are NOT bearing a UPC label can be “red tagged”, which means they will not meet inspection. This could delay your project and could even force you to remove the none approved sinks. That won’t happen with a sink from Copper Sinks Direct.

At Copper Sinks Direct, our mission is to provide top quality copper products at competitive prices with attention to superior customer service.

We produce quality copper and manufactures copper products in our own fabrication facility. Most sink suppliers purchase their products from a third party, having no control over the manufacturing process. Copper Sinks Direct is a direct importer of quality copper, the manufacturer and the direct distributor of the final product. This start to finish approach guarantees full control of the purity of copper and the quality of craftsmanship.

We sell sinks with American Standards in place. The sinks are specifically engineered to work with Standardized American plumbing.

Our products are warranted from manufacturer defects for a lifetime. Copper Sinks Direct is American owned and operated in the United States and Mexico.

Phew! Looking at all the different information on copper sinks is time consuming! What is astounding is some of the frightening misinformation out there. Based on some readings, one would think that the only think copper products should be made of just processed from the mines virgin copper or face problems of horror movie proportions. Despite the fact that copper is the most recycled metal and can be continuously recycled again and again, there are those who would have you believe recycled copper is an unspeakable evil. Rather strange for our “green living” reduce, reuse, recycle mindset, isn’t it?

Believe it or not recycled copper (or scrap) provides 44-55% of the total copper consumed in the U.S. over the course of a year. Further, most recycled copper is NOT the lead alloy/dangerous to your health variety some information would have you believe. This website from Copper.Org will give you some more information about recycled copper. Source: Copper.org

Recycled copper is beneficial to the earth. It costs less than copper ore to purify and smelt, it uses less energy than mining and producing new copper, and when taken from pure scrap, is no different than new or virgin copper. Of course as a consumer we should be certain we are not getting a product with a lead alloy (and unfortunately that can be a risk with some companies overseas), but the words recycled copper should not strike fear in your heart.

Copper sinks made from pure recycled material are the structural and compositional equivalent of their virgin copper counterparts. Recycled copper sinks have the advantage of being earth friendly, appropriate in ‘green” building, and an economical way to add recycled material into your design.

Still a little worried? Our IAPMO UPC label lets you know our copper sinks were tested for their purity and are found to meet IAPMO standards.

The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials was founded in 1926 to coordinate and develop plumbing and mechanical codes to meet the needs of the United States and other countries abroad. IAPMO is committed to protect the health and safety of people by using uniform codes designed to maintain solid plumbing practices and to assist underdeveloped countries in achieving solid plumbing practices. IAPMO is recognized all over the world for its codes and code development. IAPMO boasts the most widely recognized codes of practice in the world used by the plumbing and mechanical industries, and the world’s only plumbing and mechanical codes designated as American National Standards.

In order to receive IAPMO approval, products must go through a rigorous evaluation process which tests for compliance with IAPMO codes and standards. Products are tested for purity, durability, standardized drain holes, and overall quality. In addition to product inspection, our workshop is evaluated and inspected on an annual basis. Items approved by IAPMO recieve the Universal Plumbing Code (UPC) label.

What does this mean for the consumer? As you know, there are many companies selling copper sinks on the internet, and with many companies comes a variety of different information. The amount of information pertaining to copper sinks is staggering, overwhelming even. When it comes down to it, a consumer can ask all the right questions but still feel uncertain with their choice. The UPC label and IAPMO approval can alleviate those concerns.

CopperSinksDirect.com has taken the guesswork out of the process for you. We are confident in our products and want our customers to feel that same confidence. IAPMO approval assures you that our products are durable, pure, well made, and designed to fit the stringent plumbing codes put into place to ensure your continued health and safety. Our sinks will bear the cUPC certification mark which will let plumbers, contractors, and builders know that our sinks adhere to code standards. A person can never be too careful buying an item for their home design, it is for this reason that CopperSinksDirect.com felt it necessary to provide you with a seal of approval from a world reknowned group.

Please feel free to view our listing! IAPMO Listing