Katarzyna Petru
In the RTV industry, there is a race not only for the largest screens and increasingly better image technologies but also for who will create more environmentally friendly equipment. And it looks like TCL has just outpaced the competition.
The Chinese manufacturer has presented a completely new, eco-friendly material called TCL ECORA – made from a mixture of recycled plastics and ceramic waste. It is intended to replace traditional plastic in devices such as televisions, air conditioners, and refrigerators.
Ceramics Instead of Plastic
TCL ECORA was first unveiled to the world at the IFA 2025 in Berlin, but only now have we learned the details. The material is set to be used in components such as the back panels of televisions and offers a range of advantages – it is harder, more durable, and provides a more “premium” look and texture.
The first device made from the new material will be the TCL NXTVISION television, inspired by art and designed to look like a framed painting. The screen has a matte, anti-reflective coating, and the entire unit can be hung almost flush with the wall, like a true work of art. Moreover, the entire back panel of this model is made from ECORA, significantly reducing the amount of plastic used.
The manufacturer also emphasizes that products made with ECORA can be produced using 3D printing, which further reduces environmental impact.
Porcelain Roots of the Project
To create the new material, TCL uses ceramic waste from the city of Jingdezhen – famous for its porcelain for over 1700 years. Ceramics from this region are considered some of the best in the world.
The waste is ground into a fine powder, which is then mixed with a small amount of plastic, resulting in a durable and smooth composite ideal for consumer electronics.
In the development of ECORA, Chris Lefteri, founder of Chris Lefteri Design, which specializes in sustainable design, participated. He says:
“Cool, smooth, and stone-like to the touch – this material redefines how home appliances can look and behave. We are upcycling waste that would normally end up in a landfill.”
Green Offensive of TCL
The ECORA project was created as part of the TCLGreen initiative, which focuses on increasing the sustainability of the company's entire operations. Previous actions by this organization have led to, among other things, a reduction of CO₂ emissions by 1.78 million tons in 2024, the introduction of clean energy sources, and emission monitoring systems.
This is not the end, however. TCL announces that in the future it will replace plastic with ECORA material in many other products, and is already working on further ideas. One of them is a remote control made from recycled tea leaves – an idea as surprising as it is brilliant.
Premiere in Milan and Las Vegas
New products from ECORA will be available to see and touch from December 6 to January 6 at Piazza del Duomo in Milan, during an event related to the sponsorship of the Winter Olympics in Milan.
Further premieres are planned by TCL for CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where we will see the full line of devices made with the new material.
TCL ECORA is not just a material curiosity, but a real step toward more sustainable electronics. If the manufacturer's promises are confirmed, we may witness a new era of RTV design – more durable, more beautiful, and less plastic.
