The China in China: Sourcing Dinnerware

Phase 2. This is arguably the most beautiful hall.

1. Key Categories

• Porcelain: White, translucent, strong.
• Stoneware: Heavier, earthy look, reactive glazes. Cheaper.
• Bone China: Contains bone ash. Very expensive, very light.
• New Bone: A chemical imitation of bone china. Vegan friendly.

2. Production Hubs

• Chaozhou: The king of daily-use ceramics (and toilets).
• Liling (Hunan): Famous for stoneware and colorful mugs.
• Dehua: Famous for white porcelain statues and art.

3. FDA / Prop 65 (Lead & Cadmium)

• Crucial: Colored glazes (especially red/orange) can contain lead.
• Test: You MUST pass FDA (USA) or LFGB (Europe) leaching tests. Ask the factory for their latest SGS report.

4. MOQs

• Ceramics run in kilns.
• MOQ: Usually 3,000 - 5,000 pieces per model.
• Decals: Custom prints (Decal) are easy to add but require firing.

Summary

Stoneware is trending (Manual/Organic look). It hides defects better than pure white porcelain and is cheaper to make.