American Clay plasters are truly a domestic product to North America with a long and rich history in the desert Southwest.
Similar to the ancient Egyptians, the native peoples of Mesoamerica used natural clays mixed with sand and straw to produce sun dried bricks for construction. The Spanish explorers immediately recognized the construction as similar to the Moorish architecture of their own land which they called Adobe a Spanish adaptation of the Arabic at-tub (mud).
Adobe is an extremely durable building material and accounts for the oldest structures still in existence. Many Adobe brick structures are finished with a clay plaster made of the same materials particularly on interiors but often on exteriors as well. This combination creates a healthy, breathable system with thermal properties that disperse humidity and regulate temperature.
American Clay plasters are seeing resurgence in widespread use as a "green", environmentally friendly finish for interior wall surfaces. These plasters also offer an economical alternative to imported plasters due to ease of application and domestic availability.