Welsh slate is a very durable material and because of this, has been in use since the Iron Age as baking stones and general tools and implements for the home.
During the industrial revolution the importance of Welsh Slate was brought home with its various uses for building materials including Welsh slate roofs.
It became one of the core products from Wales, rivaled only by coal.
Welsh Slate is mined in Gwynedd, Denbighshire, Montgomery and Pembrokeshire.
Whilst in modern times it has been somewhat taken over by materials that are cheaper to produce, it is still a very important industry.
Slate was used in the 1800's for decoration inside people's homes.
It is not distorted by heat and because of this it became used for many other applications including water tanks, lintels, snooker tables, steps, doorposts, fencing and even blackboards and writing slates for schools.
Slate's resistance to acid makes it ideal for items such as work benches in many laboratories and factories.
It is also commonly used as domestic paving and many varied examples of this can be seen in gardens up and down the country.
Welsh Slate is now used for household ornaments, including clocks, coasters and fridge magnets, with scenes of animals and wildlife printed on them.
I am sure that innovative designers will continue to find more applications and this in turn will help protect an industry that over the years has suffered a sharp decline.
Cottage industries help protect rural communities and to see a traditional raw material put to use in this way is great for keeping these traditional industries alive, preserving jobs and local communities.