September 18, 2025
In the U.S. bathroom industry, competition isn’t just tough, it’s part of daily life.
A recent report from Grand View Research shows the global bathroom market hit $52 billion in 2024, and the U.S. made up roughly 28% of that, the biggest single market anywhere.
But let’s be real, this space is crowded. Big names like Kohler and Moen still dominate most showrooms, while international players such as Hansgrohe and TOTO keep pushing hard in the premium tier. And at the other end, budget brands are constantly slashing prices just to stay in the game.
Somehow, Giving Tree Home found a way to stand out. While a lot of brands were just trying to survive, it actually grew, up 32% in 2024, which is pretty wild for this market.
The secret wasn’t luck. The team focused on something most big names ignored: solid surface bathtubs. Instead of chasing the same crowd as Kohler or Moen, they built their own lane and owned it.
The U.S. market is kind of a two-layer cake, a few giants at the top, and a messy crowd fighting for space at the bottom.
According to Statista, the “big three”, Kohler, Moen, and American Standard, control around 45% of the total market. It’s not hard to see why: they’ve got mature supply chains, huge brand recognition, and powerful retail partners like Home Depot and Lowe’s backing them up.
Meanwhile, the low- to mid-end segment is packed with affordable imports from China and Mexico, where margins sit around 5–8%, basically, you can’t afford a single mistake.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Two big trends are shaking up the industry: eco-conscious living and personalization.
First off, sustainability is no longer just a nice-to-have. According to a 2024 NKBA survey, about 72% of U.S. consumers now look for eco-friendly or recyclable materials when shopping for bathroom products.
Then there’s the style factor. Gen Z and Millennials aren’t into cookie-cutter bathrooms. They want something that feels theirs, different materials, shapes, and finishes. This group already makes up 58% of total bathroom spending in the U.S., and their preferences are rewriting the rules.
But here’s the kicker: most of the traditional brands still stick to mass-produced, standardized designs. That leaves a wide-open lane for anyone willing to do things differently.
And that’s exactly where Giving Tree Home made its move, by betting on solid surface bathtubs and turning what looked like a red ocean into its own little blue one.
Americans are serious about eco-friendly living, maybe more than anyone else.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the green home market grew about 15% year over year in 2024, and bathroom products made up more than 20% of that growth.
That’s exactly where solid surface bathtubs shine.
Made from a mix of resin and natural minerals like aluminium powder, this material has zero formaldehyde or heavy metals. It’s recyclable and meets LEED Green Building Certification standards, a big win for middle-class families who care about sustainability.
The seamless, non-porous surface keeps mould from growing (a big deal in humid states like Florida and Washington) and resists stains. It cleans up easily with regular household detergents, no more scrubbing at grimy seams like with traditional ceramic tubs.
In fact, 68% of Giving Tree Home’s customers said “eco-friendly materials” were their top reason for buying, way higher than the industry average.
Homes in the U.S. come in all shapes and sizes, from cozy city apartments to sprawling suburban houses, which means one-size-fits-all bathtubs just don’t cut it.
Most big brands still stick to standard 1.7-meter rectangles. But with solid surface, Giving Tree Home saw a way to break that mold (literally).
Through its customization program, customers can pick:
This flexibility made the brand a hit with the home renovation crowd.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the remodeling market hit $320 billion in 2024, and bathrooms made up 18% of that total.
Giving Tree Home’s solid surface tubs grabbed around 7% of that bathroom segment, not bad for a relatively new player.
If you look at the U.S. bathtub market, it’s split cleanly in two:
Giving Tree Home found a sweet middle ground, pricing its solid surface bathtubs between $1,800 and $2,800, hitting that underserved mid-tier right on target.
Compared to luxury brands, they’re 30–40% cheaper, but still offer strong sustainability and customization perks.
Compared to budget tubs, they cost a bit more, about 20–30% higher, but last much longer (15–20 years vs. 8–10 for ceramics) and look way better.
That “best of both worlds” positioning turned out to be a game-changer.
By the end of 2024, Giving Tree Home had sold over 50,000 solid surface bathtubs, with about 60% of orders coming through major retailers like Home Depot.
The major U.S. bathroom brands dominate with scale, standardization, and broad retail coverage, but they’re far from perfect. Their weak spots are clear:
Small brands can find these gaps in a couple of ways:
Data Research: Dig into NKBA and Grand View Research reports to find fast-growing, low-competition subcategories. For instance, the U.S. outdoor bathroom market jumped 25% in 2024, but top brands only control 15% of it.
Consumer Interviews: Talk to your target groups, renters, homeowners doing renovations, etc. They’ll tell you what’s missing, like foldable shower screens for tiny apartments or easy-to-install bathroom fixtures.
Take Better Bath as an example. This emerging U.S. brand focused on foldable bathtubs for city apartments in New York and San Francisco. That niche strategy drove 40% sales growth in 2024, proving that even small, specialized products can pack a punch.
Many new brands fall into the “go big” trap, trying to cover everything, smart toilets, shower systems, vanities — all at once. The result? Stretched resources and mediocre results.
Giving Tree Home did the opposite: they went deep on one product, solid surface bathtubs. Every bit of R&D, production, and marketing focused on mastering that single category. Once the brand had recognition, they slowly expanded into related products, like solid surface washbasins.
This “small but strong” approach has real perks:
In the U.S., most bathroom products sell through three main channels:
For smaller brands, building your own channel from scratch is expensive. Leveraging existing partners is smarter.
Giving Tree Home’s multi-channel playbook:
The results speak for themselves: 65% of 2024 U.S. sales came from offline channels, 35% online, and their Amazon repeat purchase rate hit 22%, more than double the industry average.
Whether it’s focusing on niche materials (solid surface, bamboo fiber), serving specific demographics (small-space dwellers, home renovators), or solving regional needs (mold resistance in humid areas, temperature control in cold climates), the key is the same:
Once a brand establishes strong recognition in a focused segment, it can then expand gradually, maintaining both profitability and brand clarity.
Giving Tree Home’s journey proves that even in a crowded market, there will always be unmet demands and overlooked gaps. The challenge is not the lack of opportunity, but whether a brand can abandon the obsession with “competing everywhere” and instead build a distinct, small-but-beautiful advantage.
That is, and will remain, the essence of breaking through in the U.S. bathroom industry.
The market is highly competitive due to its structure. A few major brands like Kohler and Moen control nearly half the market, creating high barriers to entry. At the same time, the lower end is saturated with budget imports, leading to intense price wars and very slim profit margins.
A solid surface bathtub is made from a composite material, typically a blend of resin and natural minerals like aluminium powder. This creates a non-porous, seamless surface that is hygienic, easy to clean, and resistant to mould. It's also considered eco-friendly and can be recycled.
They targeted the “mid-market gap.” Their bathtubs, priced between $1,800 and $2,800, were significantly more affordable than high-end luxury brands but offered superior quality, durability, and style compared to cheaper, mass-produced ceramic tubs. This provided a strong value proposition for a large group of consumers.
Two major trends are sustainability and personalisation. A growing number of consumers actively seek out products made from eco-friendly and recyclable materials. Additionally, younger buyers, in particular, want unique bathroom designs that reflect their personal style, moving away from standardised, cookie-cutter looks.
The primary lesson is to find a specific, underserved niche and excel within it. Instead of trying to compete with established giants on all fronts, focus on a core product that solves a particular problem or meets a specific demand. As this Beacon Inside analysis shows, building a strong reputation in one area allows for gradual and sustainable expansion.
