When you sit enjoying your morning coffee and toast, do you ever stop to think about the journey of the cup you’re drinking from or the plate you’re eating off?
With many different uses in the beauty, medical, construction, consumer, industrial and engineering industries, we owe a lot to clay but how much do you know about this versatile material?
Where is clay from? What are the different types of clay? Who manufactures clay for potters in Stoke-on-Trent? At the very beginning of the ceramics process, we’re talking all things clay...
What Is Clay?
Clay is a naturally occurring, fine-grain earthy material containing minerals, silica and water.
Formed over millions of years by weathered rocks such as feldspar and granite, clay comes in many colours and textures depending on the location, minerals and organic material in the surrounding ground.
In Stoke-on-Trent, you don’t need to be digging in your garden for long before you’ll hit some red terracotta clay (Etruria Marl) in the soil – perfect for pottery, making bricks, tiles and Brown Betty teapots.
In the UK, most of the clay comes from the South of England in the form of kaolin (china clay) and ball clay.
Types Of Clay
We explain the three main types of clay and their features…
Earthenware
- Variety of colours, easy to use, cost effective – good for beginners
- Used for bricks, tiles, sculptures and plant pots
- Terracotta is a form of earthenware
- Can be used on the potters’ wheel and for hand-building
- Fires at low temperatures
- Needs to be glazed to safely hold liquids
Stoneware
- Durable, functional , versatile
- Used for dinnerware as it won’t chip easily and can be put in the oven
- Usually a grey colour, it may also have a slight texture which gives it a rustic feel
- Wedgwood's Jasperware is a type of stoneware
- Can be used on the potters’ wheel and for hand-building
- Fires at medium temperatures
- Fully waterproof
Porcelain
- Extremely durable, translucent, versatile
- Used for detailed decorative items and elegant functional pieces like high-end plates and teacups
- Porcelain is vegan however animal bone ash can be added to make fine bone china
- Can be tricky to work with, especially for beginners, as it’s so smooth and slippery
- Fires at high temperatures
- Fully waterproof
There’s also Ball Clay, Fire Clay, Slip and Grog.
Innovations In Clay
Local manufacturers Valentine Clays recently launched the UK's first low-fire Stoneware, LoStone, along with their latest product, Bistro Porcelain. Both of these clays are designed to make potters lives easier, be better for the environment and help to lower costs.
In 2025, Japanese brand Narumi started adding eggshells to the bone china body in their production process – turning a byproduct into an upcycled material.
Where To Buy Clay
In Stoke-on-Trent, there are two well-established independent clay manufacturers, both family-run.
Potclays
Potclays is a 4th-generation, family-owned and managed business, with Becky Otter (nee Noake) joining the family business as Technical and Marketing Director in 2002.
‘Supporting Potters Since 1932’, the Potclays story started with William Noake as a clay mining and processing business. Changing forms, names and merging with various other companies along with way – Potclays Limited as it is known today, was founded in 1941. All of this makes it one of the oldest independent, family-run suppliers of ceramic materials in the UK (and number one).
Producing their own glazes and kilns, Potclays make all of their own clays using old panmills previously used in a Cadbury’s factory. They have exclusive UK partnerships with brands, along with a commitment to education.
Catering for potters at all levels, from beginner to professional, head to the Potclays website to learn more and get help with the different types of clay on offer.
Valentine Clays
Starting in 1979, Valentine Clays was formed by father and son, Alan and Alfred Ault. Gas-forward to 2026 and Alan’s daughter Hannah is CEO of this ever-growing company. With over 100 clay products developed for potters, they make and sell clays, slips and raw materials.
Offering a selection of courses and workshops, head to the Valentine Clays website to learn more and read helpful articles such as ‘How to Choose the Right Clay’.
Let us know if there’s a topic or technique you’d like to know more about. Alternatively, read our latest blogs for inspiration.