For the second year in a row, Sustainable Industries’ judges selected Eleek as the recipient of a Top 10 Green Building Products award. This year, the Portland-based recycled aluminum fixtures manufacturer received praise for its Waterbox sink.

Our panel of judges used the words “gorgeous,” “functional” and “unique” to describe the Waterbox sink. Sized for use as a bathroom sink or a kitchen prep sink, the Waterbox is made of 100 percent recycled cast aluminum, with a minimum 70 percent postconsumer recycled content.

Aluminum is one of the most cost-effective recycled materials, and has been known for its durability, strength, and light weight, but few manufacturers are creating aesthetic designs from aluminum, says Sattie Clark, co-owner of Eleek. Because of aluminum’s durability, Clark says her company strives to create classic designs that can be used in multiple settings, providing each product with the potential for multiple “lives” with different owners.

Eleek’s unique finishing process for its aluminum fixures provides a look that few of our judges could resist. “I am a sucker for well-designed and smart objects,” one judge wrote. “The Eleek sink is one of those products.”

Few companies are manufacturing plumbing products that meet green building material specifications, and even fewer are creating designs that are as beautifully crafted, other judges agreed.