Origin
- China was the birthplace of porcelain making, and it’s been found in the shape that we know today, as early as the 206 BC (the Han Dynasty).
- Marco Polo was one of the first Europeans to learn about porcelain, but it didn’t enter the European marked until around 1517.
- In these ancient times, it was very expensive and only used by the rich and famous.
Why porcelain?
Natural ancient process
Porcelain is a ceramic material, made by heating materials in a kiln to temperatures between 1,200 and 1,400 °C. The end result is always a surprise, since the colour constantly changes during the process. Kaolin is the primary material from which porcelain is made, but also clay minerals normally account for a small proportion of the whole.
Incredibly strong
Porcelain is a strong material and will last a long time! You can find proof of that in ancient ruins in the Middle East, and also in the fact that is is still used in making of teeth. The toughness, strength and translucency comes mainly from vitrification at the high temperatures it goes through.
Longevity
Porcelain conserve its colour and characteristics for a long time. Words that describe it is: hard, tough, completely vitrified, whiteness, translucency, resonance. and a high resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.
The Porcelain collection
Dutch Basics was inspired by China and the far East, and wanted to merge this with its own classic simplicity. The collection was developed in collaboration with Chantal Lensink and Gaby van Deutekom. I is also done in collaboration with a small Dutch workshop, where people with disadvantages get a chance to work in their own pace. The silver and gold pieces are made in Dutch Basics permanent jewelry workshop in Portugal.
Watch Dutch Basics making of the collection
See the products in store.