Where does glass come from? Can I get glass made in the USA?

It’s nearly impossible to trace back the various sources of materials in glass. As is true of most finished manufactured goods. The raw materials are mined from various sources and brought to a batch plant. There materials get weighed and mixed to exacting standards specific to the glass type that will be produced. It then goes to a float plant where flat, sheet glass is created. From there it goes to a fabricator where glass can be cut, tempered or further fabricated to specifications.

It makes sense to do the fabrication nearest to the final market. Most are located in industrial zones just outside of metropolitan areas. This ensures timely delivery of goods. You can probably assume the glass you get for your building project was fabricated in the USA. Those fabricators might source it from a United States float plant or internationally. Their supplier may vary depending on factors in the supply chain, varying energy costs and prices. The National Glass Association has compiled a worldwide map of float plants and fabricators. You can see that a lot of fabricators are concentrated in the US. The glass industry is providing a lot of good manufacturing jobs for Americans.