home decor, kitchen and household goods / Buying guide
Chinese ceramics suppliers
Chaozhou, Dehua and Jingdezhen are useful starting points for comparing suppliers, but suppliers within each region vary. Request comparable samples and written specifications for the product you need.
Firing temperature alone does not establish durability or food-contact suitability. Body composition, absorption, glaze, intended use and relevant tests also matter.
In this guide
The cities and what they are for
- Chaozhou, Guangdong — compare suppliers of tableware, mugs and planters on matching specifications.
- Dehua, Fujian — compare porcelain, figurines and tea ware by body and finish.
- Jingdezhen, Jiangxi — compare decorative and hand-painted work against an approved sample.
- Zibo, Shandong — another region to investigate for tableware suppliers.
Ceramic body and intended use
Names such as earthenware, stoneware and porcelain describe different ceramic bodies, but there is no single firing temperature that guarantees absorption, chip resistance or suitability for a dishwasher or microwave.
Ask the supplier for the body and glaze specification, firing process, water-absorption or use tests where relevant, and a sample you can compare with the order.
Specifying a glaze
- Send a physical reference if you can. Glaze colour is not reliably communicable in words or on a screen.
- Accept a range. Reactive and speckled glazes vary between kiln loads by design — agree an acceptable spread against a retained sample rather than pretending it will be uniform.
- If the piece will contact food, identify the destination-market requirements and request product-specific documentation or testing for the glaze and finished item.
- Matte glazes mark more easily than gloss. Test one before committing a range to it.
Packing, which decides whether any of this matters
Specify inner protection, dividers and carton construction for the chosen route. Check a packed sample and consider a documented drop test before approving a fragile shipment.
Agree how damage will be measured and handled. No universal breakage percentage can be promised from the packing method alone.
Questions & answers
Common questions
- What is a realistic minimum for ceramics?
- Ask each supplier for the stock minimum per design and glaze, and a separate minimum and tooling quote for custom work.
- How long does a ceramics order take?
- Request a dated schedule for sampling, production, inspection and domestic delivery. Stock availability and custom tooling change the lead time.
- Can I get a food-contact test report?
- Ask for a product-specific report covering the material, intended use and destination market. If none exists, price and schedule the required testing before placing the order.
Your next step
Have a link you want checked?
Send a 1688 or Taobao product link and you get back the specification in English, the supplier check, and the landed cost to your country before you commit to anything.
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