Are you looking for the best porcelain tiles for your next project? China, the world’s largest producer of porcelain tiles, is home to numerous top-notch manufacturers. In this article, we’ll compare the top porcelain factories in China, highlighting their strengths, product ranges, and what sets them apart in the industry. Let’s dive in and find the perfect tiles for your needs

What is China

Porcelain – Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

Product Details: Chinese porcelain is a durable, beautiful, and historically significant example of ceramic ware made from clay hardened by heat. It is produced through a four-step process: forming a piece, glazing, decorating, and firing at extremely high temperatures above 1260 degrees Celsius (or 2300 degrees Fahrenheit). The finest porcelains are white and translucent due to the presence of kaolin, a soft, white clay. Artisans combine kaolin with materials like feldspar, ball clay, glass, or bone ash to achieve the desired effects of color and translucence. Chinese porcelain has a rich history, with the first proto-porcelains made during the Shang dynasty (ca.

1600–1050 BCE) and refined techniques developed during the Eastern Han and Tang dynasties.

Pros:
– Durable and long-lasting
– Beautiful and aesthetically pleasing
– Historically significant
– Translucent and white due to the presence of kaolin
– Highly valued around the world for hundreds of years

Cons:
– Requires extremely high temperatures for firing, which can be challenging and en…
– Production process involves multiple steps, which can be time-consuming and labo…

Porcelain Dinnerware – Plates, Bowls & Sets – Royal Doulton

Chinese Porcelain | Silk Roads Programme

Product Details: Chinese porcelain is made from a combination of kaolin clay and porcelain stone (petuntse), which are fired at high temperatures (around 1200-1300°C) to achieve translucency and impermeability. The process involves vitrification, making the porcelain strong, stable, and white. It is often decorated with various glazes and pigments, such as cobalt for blue and white designs, and can be shaped into a wide variety of forms[1][4][5].

Pros:
– Highly durable and resistant to water due to its impermeable nature
– Translucent and strong, with a characteristic whiteness
– Versatile material that can be shaped into various forms and thicknesses
– Decorative glazes and pigments add aesthetic value
– Comfortable to use, light, and well-balanced in the hand

Cons:
– High-quality porcelain is expensive due to the high firing temperatures and manu…
– Low-quality porcelain may be fired at lower temperatures, leading to impermeabil…
– Surface painting on antiques can contain harmful chemicals or heavy metals
– Requires careful handling to avoid damage due to its delicate nature

What’s the Difference Between China and Dinnerware?

Product Details: Fine china, bone china, and porcelain are types of high-quality dinnerware. Fine china is made from kaolin, a type of white clay, and is fired at temperatures between 1200°C to 1400°C. Bone china includes bone ash, feldspar, kaolin, and clay, and is fired at lower temperatures than porcelain. Porcelain is also made from kaolin but fired at higher temperatures, making it more durable.

Pros:
– Fine china: Known for its smooth, white, and lustrous appearance, often used for…
– Bone china: More durable and less prone to chipping than porcelain, has a warmer…
– Porcelain: Highly durable, non-porous, and usually translucent; often used inter…

Cons:
– Fine china: Requires careful handling and washing by hand, especially if decorat…
– Bone china: Generally more expensive than porcelain, though more durable.
– Porcelain: Can be more prone to chipping than bone china, and unglazed forms are…

The Science of Chinese Porcelain

Product Details: Chinese porcelain is a type of ceramic ware made from a combination of kaolin clay and porcelain stone (petuntse). It is fired at high temperatures, typically between 1200 to 1400 degrees Celsius, which makes it translucent, impermeable, and durable. The mixture of kaolin and petuntse provides strength, stability, and whiteness to the porcelain. It can be decorated with various glazes and pigments, such as cobalt for blue and white designs, and can be fired multiple times to achieve different effects, like in the case of famille rose porcelain[1][4][5].

Pros:
– Highly durable and impermeable due to high firing temperatures
– Translucent and white, making it aesthetically pleasing
– Can be shaped into a wide variety of forms and thicknesses
– Decorations can be highly detailed and colorful, especially with techniques like…
– Easy to clean due to its impermeable nature

Cons:
– High-quality porcelain is expensive due to the difficulty in manufacturing thin-…
– Surface painting on antiques can contain harmful chemicals or heavy metals
– Lower quality porcelain may not be fired at the necessary high temperatures, lea…
– Requires careful handling to avoid damage due to its delicate nature

Bernardaud French Porcelain Dinnerware

Product Details: Bernardaud is a French manufacturer of high-quality Limoges porcelain dinnerware, established in 1863. The company is renowned for its intricate designs, often hand-painted or printed on transfer foils and applied to the porcelain by hand. Their collections include various themes such as Aux Oiseaux, Ecume Gold, Ecume White, In Bloom, and more. Bernardaud produces a wide range of tableware items including dinner plates, bowls, tureens, and serving pieces. Their products are highly regarded for their durability, achieved through firing at exceptionally high temperatures, making them suitable for frequent dishwasher use and professional culinary settings.

Pros:
– High-quality Limoges porcelain
– Intricate and detailed designs, often hand-painted or hand-applied
– Durable and resilient to frequent dishwasher use
– Wide range of tableware items catering to diverse needs
– Trusted partner for restaurants and luxury hotels worldwide
– Close collaboration with top chefs and hoteliers ensures expertise and competenc…

Cons:
– High price points due to the meticulous craftsmanship and high-quality materials
– Limited availability of certain collections or pieces
– Requires careful handling due to the delicate nature of porcelain

Porcelain | Definition, History, Types, & Facts

What Is Fine Porcelain Bone China

Product Details: Mottahedeh is a recognized leader in luxury ceramic antique reproductions and historic designs, primarily focusing on hard porcelain, faience, and stoneware. Their products include dinnerware, giftware, and home décor accessories, often featuring complex and beautiful colors and unique historic shapes. Mottahedeh products are manufactured mainly in Europe, with significant production in Portugal.

Pros:
– Durable and can be placed in the dishwasher and oven.
– Items with gold are made from real gold.
– Timeless patterns such as Tobacco Leaf and Blue Canton.
– Crafted using centuries-old techniques with attention to detail.
– Collaborations with historic institutions like Colonial Williamsburg Foundation…

Cons:
– High price points due to the use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship.
– Limited availability of certain patterns and designs.

Official Rosenthal fine China and Porcelain Online Shop

Product Details: Rosenthal offers a wide range of fine china and porcelain products, including dinnerware, stemware, giftware, and decorative items. The company is known for its high-quality designs, often collaborating with renowned artists and designers. Products include various collections such as Brilliance Grand Air, Baronesse White, Free Spirit, and many more. Rosenthal is headquartered in Selb, Germany, and is a market leader in the glass-porcelain-ceramics segment in Germany.

Pros:
– High-quality materials and craftsmanship
– Exclusive and elegant designs suitable for special occasions
– Wide range of collections and products to choose from
– Collaborations with renowned artists and designers
– 100-day return policy available

Cons:
– Generally more expensive due to high-quality materials and design
– Some collections may have limited product availability
– Delicate nature of porcelain requires careful handling

Comparison Table

Company	Product Details	Pros	Cons	Website
What is China				noritakechina.com
Porcelain – Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art	Chinese porcelain is a durable, beautiful, and historically significant example of ceramic ware made from clay hardened by heat. It is produced throug…	– Durable and long-lasting – Beautiful and aesthetically pleasing – Historically significant – Translucent and white due to the presence of kaolin – H…	– Requires extremely high temperatures for firing, which can be challenging and en… – Production process involves multiple steps, which can be time-…	asia-archive.si.edu
Porcelain Dinnerware – Plates, Bowls & Sets – Royal Doulton				www.royaldoulton.com
Chinese Porcelain	Silk Roads Programme	Chinese porcelain is made from a combination of kaolin clay and porcelain stone (petuntse), which are fired at high temperatures (around 1200-1300°C)…	– Highly durable and resistant to water due to its impermeable nature – Translucent and strong, with a characteristic whiteness – Versatile material t…	– High-quality porcelain is expensive due to the high firing temperatures and manu… – Low-quality porcelain may be fired at lower temperatures, lead…
What’s the Difference Between China and Dinnerware?	Fine china, bone china, and porcelain are types of high-quality dinnerware. Fine china is made from kaolin, a type of white clay, and is fired at temp…	– Fine china: Known for its smooth, white, and lustrous appearance, often used for… – Bone china: More durable and less prone to chipping than porce…	– Fine china: Requires careful handling and washing by hand, especially if decorat… – Bone china: Generally more expensive than porcelain, though mo…	www.thekitchn.com
The Science of Chinese Porcelain	Chinese porcelain is a type of ceramic ware made from a combination of kaolin clay and porcelain stone (petuntse). It is fired at high temperatures, t…	– Highly durable and impermeable due to high firing temperatures – Translucent and white, making it aesthetically pleasing – Can be shaped into a wide…	– High-quality porcelain is expensive due to the difficulty in manufacturing thin-… – Surface painting on antiques can contain harmful chemicals or…	phxart.org
Bernardaud French Porcelain Dinnerware	Bernardaud is a French manufacturer of high-quality Limoges porcelain dinnerware, established in 1863. The company is renowned for its intricate desig…	– High-quality Limoges porcelain – Intricate and detailed designs, often hand-painted or hand-applied – Durable and resilient to frequent dishwasher u…	– High price points due to the meticulous craftsmanship and high-quality materials – Limited availability of certain collections or pieces – Requires…	kneenandco.com
Porcelain	Definition, History, Types, & Facts
What Is Fine Porcelain Bone China	Mottahedeh is a recognized leader in luxury ceramic antique reproductions and historic designs, primarily focusing on hard porcelain, faience, and sto…	– Durable and can be placed in the dishwasher and oven. – Items with gold are made from real gold. – Timeless patterns such as Tobacco Leaf and Blue C…	– High price points due to the use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship. – Limited availability of certain patterns and designs.	www.mottahedeh.com
Official Rosenthal fine China and Porcelain Online Shop	Rosenthal offers a wide range of fine china and porcelain products, including dinnerware, stemware, giftware, and decorative items. The company is kno…	– High-quality materials and craftsmanship – Exclusive and elegant designs suitable for special occasions – Wide range of collections and products to…	– Generally more expensive due to high-quality materials and design – Some collections may have limited product availability – Delicate nature of porc…	www.rosenthalusa-shop.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where is the main hub for porcelain production in China

China’s main hub for porcelain production is Jingdezhen, located in the Jiangxi province. This city has been the forefront of China’s ceramic production for over a millennium, dating back to the Tang dynasty. Jingdezhen is renowned for its natural deposits of kaolin, a key ingredient in porcelain production, and has been producing some of the world’s finest porcelain for centuries[2][3][4].

What types of porcelain are produced in Jingdezhen

In Jingdezhen, a wide variety of porcelain types are produced. These include blue and white porcelain, which has been a staple since the Yuan dynasty; qingbai wares known for their translucent light blue glaze; and various other types such as famille rose, famille verte, and egg-shell porcelain. Different factories in Jingdezhen specialize in different styles, such as the Guangming Porcelain Factory’s “rice grain” b/w porcelain and the Jianguo Porcelain Factory’s high-temperature colored glazes[1][2][4].

How is porcelain made in these factories

Porcelain production involves heating clay to extremely high temperatures, around 2,200–2,600 °F (1,200–1,400 °C), to create a strong, translucent, and vitrified ceramic. The process includes mixing primary ingredients like kaolin, feldspar, and quartz, shaping the clay on a potter’s wheel or in moulds, and then firing it in a kiln. Glazes and paint can be added for decoration. Traditional methods, such as using wood-fired kilns, are still employed in some factories like the Jianguo Porcelain Factory[1][3][4].

What is the historical significance of Jingdezhen’s porcelain production

Jingdezhen’s porcelain production has a rich history that spans centuries. During the Song dynasty, Jingdezhen was famous for its qingbai wares, and by the Yuan dynasty, it had developed blue and white porcelain. This city continued to be a major ceramic production center through the Ming and Qing dynasties, producing porcelain exclusively for the imperial court at times. The city’s potters have consistently innovated and refined their techniques, making Jingdezhen a legendary site in Chinese ceramic history[2][3][4].

Are Chinese porcelain factories still active today

Yes, Chinese porcelain factories are still very active today. Many factories in Jingdezhen and other regions continue to produce high-quality porcelain using both traditional and modern techniques. For example, the Weimin Porcelain Factory and the Universal Porcelain Factory in Jingdezhen were producing millions of pieces annually in the 1990s. Additionally, cities like Chaozhou are also home to numerous modern ceramic manufacturers that blend traditional elegance with contemporary designs[1][5].