A ceramic tile or slab is usally called "green" before undergoing the drying process inside the driers and it is mainly characterized by softness and flexibility.

In other words, the term identifies the raw tile that has already undergone the pressing or forming phase but that has not entered the dryer yet, where it will lose its residual humidity content (that is still around 5% – 7%), thanks to the calibrated use of heat sources.

The word "green" reminds us the freshly cut wood, which is green and still contains a certain rate of water. Once the water content is about 0% we can finally talk about dried ceramic.

Green ceramic tiles, because of the presence of water, can be fragile and sensitive to stresses that may occur on the conveyor belts of the production line. For this reason the use of temporary binders able to act on the mechanical resistance, strengthening it and protecting the tile from bumps or obstacles, is often recommended.