How Cornishware Is Made

Rock On: We Collect our Clay from Cornwall.

At Cornishware, we like a bit of rock ‘n’ roll. Yes, we’re talking about rocks, because that’s where our Cornishware origin story begins. In St Austell, a Cornish Coastal town, there is a quarry called The China Clay Pits that has been the heart of the UK porcelain industry since the mid 18th century. The pits, dubbed ‘The Cornish Alps’ by locals, and it’s a bit of a molecular miracle story. If you didn’t already know, clay (historically called kaolin) is the oldest ceramic material known to man. It’s most commonly formulated when certain minerals come into contact with water. Cornwall’s St Austell is pretty well stocked with the stuff (rivers and the sea encircle the seaside town), and in our humble opinion, it’s the perfect place to collect clay.

Pour Decisions: Let’s Get Bold with Moulds

The clay is liquefied and poured into a mould made from plaster of Paris—though, before you get too excited, we’re not heading to the City of Love. Plaster of Paris is simply a quick-setting material that forms the mould. Once the mould is created, it’s left to set until it’s ready for use. After that, liquefied clay is poured in, and each mould can be used around a hundred times before needing a replacement. In case you didn’t know, clay—historically called kaolin—is the oldest ceramic material known to humankind. It forms when certain minerals mix with water, and Cornwall’s St Austell is rich in it thanks to the nearby rivers and sea. So, in our humble opinion, it’s the perfect place to source quality clay.

Cast Away: Sponging & Fettling is Next

Then there’s the painstaking task of carefully removing the teapots out of the moud when it’s hardened. They’ll then need sponging down and then an intriguingly named requirement of fettling, is required. What’s ‘fettling’? It’s the process of cleaning or trimming the rough edges; it’s about making the pieces as perfect as they can be before firing. The word ‘fettling’ is actually from a historical dialect originating from Lancashire in England that meant ‘to shape, to fix’, so similar to how we use it in the pottery today.

Put Your Handles in the Air: It’s Time for Drying

Now it’s time to leave the Cornishware pieces to air dry, until it’s ready for the kiln. If you don’t, there’s a higher chance of breaking, and cracking. And we don’t love that.

All Fired Up: We’re Ready for the Kiln

So our Cornishware pieces have dried, and they’re now ready for its firing. It’s the first firing, which is called ‘bisque’ or ‘biscuit’ firing (let’s go with biscuit, because it sounds more wholesome). The temperature and timings used will vary according to the type of clay, the glaze, and what aesthetics you’re after. This biscuit firing is about making the Cornishware pieces impervious to water, resistant to any damages while handling, and absorbent for glazing. Once it’s done, and the pottery gods have blessed us with fissure-free goods (always an agonising wait). We’ll then ‘backstamp’ our wares. Which is affixing our logo onto the back of our pieces

Paintbrushes at the Ready: Let’s Decorate

Watching a skilled decorator at Cornishware paint those iconic stripes makes it look easy—kind of like watching the Olympics from your couch and thinking, "Sure, I could pole vault like that." But trust us, it’s trickier than it seems. You start by sitting at a wheel, controlling its speed with a foot pedal. Once you’ve got the speed right, it’s time to apply paint to the raised edges of the piece. It’s all about steady hands and maintaining consistent pressure to create smooth, straight lines—no wobbles allowed! You also need to keep an eye on the amount of paint on your brush to ensure an even colour across all the stripes. Too many layers, and it gets darker. And remember, all of this happens while the wheel is spinning. No big deal, right? This process is called "hand banding," and our incredibly talented decorators can hand-band 300 pieces a day. It takes three to six months of training to master the technique, so it’s pretty impressive!

Let’s Wax Lyrical: Yes, We’re Talking about Wax

When we talk about painting at the wheel, we’re referring to all the Cornishware pieces without handles. Now let’s shift focus to those with handles, like mugs, which go through a process called waxing. The Waxing Method, which takes up to a year of training to master, involves carefully brushing liquid wax onto the white stripes of the mug, so the paint resists those areas. Precision is key here, as we aim for crisp, clean stripes. After waxing, the mugs are dipped into a large vat of paint. The paint sticks only to the areas we want, while sliding off the waxed stripes. When done perfectly, it’s one of the most satisfying things to watch—second only, perhaps, to power washing your patio!

‘Honey, I Shrunk the Mugs’: Our Ceramics Get a Little Smaller

At the end of each day, the kiln is then stacked for the second time with both the dipped and decorated pieces. With this firing round, our Cornishware pieces shrink by around 10%. Why? Because clay still has a small percentage of water and organic matter in it, even if it may feel bone dry after you’ve aired it out. So in this process, you’ll find our mugs and other wares, just that little bit smaller.

Glaze for Days: Third Firing is a Go Go

We’re almost at the final stage of the process: glazing. But what exactly is glazing? In pottery, glazing refers to the glassy, shiny coating you see on ceramics. To get a little technical, ceramic glaze is made from glass-forming substances like silica and boron trioxide, along with other components that give it that smooth finish. The main purpose of glazing is to seal the ceramics, making Cornishware pieces liquid-proof, as raw clay is naturally porous. It also gives our products a tougher surface, ensuring they can withstand the hustle and bustle of even the busiest kitchens (trust us, they’ve been tested!). Each Cornishware piece is dipped by hand into a vat of glaze, coming out with a light pinkish coating, ready for its third and final firing. This final firing, which lasts up to sixteen hours, is when we eagerly await the big reveal.

Opening the kiln for the big reveal

The firing is complete. The moment has arrived. You open the kiln door—an experience oddly similar to using one of those twiddly sticks to open a shop canopy. Fun fact: this method of opening kilns has been around for centuries, so we must be onto something. As the doors swing open, a wave of heat greets you. Then, out come the stars of the show. With their glossy, glassy finish catching the light, it’s always a thrill to see thousands of Cornishware pieces, fresh from the kiln, perfectly crafted and ready to meet their new owners. It never gets old!

Keep Your Standards High: We Do Quality Control

When we unload the kiln (after letting it cool down—no need for burnt fingers), we go straight into quality control mode. We're perfectionists at this stage, ensuring every piece is the best it can be. We’re inspecting for tiny imperfections that most people might not notice—like a wobbly line or a faint paint mark. If it doesn’t meet our high standards, we set it aside as a 'seconds' piece. But it’s not all bad news! We hold 'seconds sales' throughout the year, offering these imperfect pieces at a more affordable price. Plus, there’s something charming about those little human touches, adding a bit of uniqueness to each piece.

Time for Tea

Boil, brew, splash the milk, and sip. It’s time for tea. Kick back, relax. We hope you enjoy your Cornishware pieces as much as we love crafting them. Now that you know the care and effort behind each one, you might just appreciate them even more.