Quality Craftsmanship
16 November 2023
Why are P&P wares made in Jingdezhen, China?
Poppy & Pepper’s creative director, Shiàoh, has always been drawn to the shapes of traditional Chinese design, especially in ceramic wares. Knowing she wanted to start a design-focused homewares brand, it was instinctive for Shiàoh to begin building P&P with a trip to Jingdezhen – China’s no. 1 centre for ceramics.
Jingdezhen is renowned for its ceramic and porcelain production stretching back more than 1,700 years. It remains the most important ceramic production centre in China – if not the world. It’s now also a UNESCO Creative City, and home to thousands of ceramic craftspeople and artists – plus clay producers, throwers, sculptors, mould makers, glazers and more.
Shiaoh was called to Jingdezhen on its reputation, but being there provided the impetus needed to get P&P off the ground in earnest. She found the level of craft demonstrated in Jingdezhen to be astonishing, with the majority of work handcrafted by ceramic artisans with knowledge passed down across generations. There’s a distinct ‘slow living’ feel to the town underpinned by an appreciation of the handmade that has strengthened across time.
Since P&P’s inception, Shiaoh travels from Melbourne to Jingdezhen several times a year to work alongside craftspeople in the development of every P&P ceramic collection.
Who are the people who make P&P products?
Rather than working with a single ceramic production house in Jingdezhen, P&P engages a network of ceramic professionals including: 3D digital artists, ceramicists, moulding engineers, glaze specialists, print and paint craftsmen, and firing technicians.
We believe that our process for engaging specialists at every stage of production is what defines the high quality of each P&P collection, and every product within.
How do we ensure quality?
P&P only works with accredited ceramic professionals and organisations. In the course of product development, we meticulously select materials prioritising food safety and durability. We subject each phase of product creation to rigorous testing, conducting thorough checks to minimise chances of error.
Our hands-on approach also extends to the careful management of the entire production process, overseeing everything from moulding and glazing to firing and packing. Special attention is paid to packaging design – each of our items is individually hand-packed or grouped in sets within our signature cartons (beautiful for gifting), before being shipped to our Melbourne warehouse.
