KENYA · GUIDE 0869 · EDITION 4.2
Ceramic mug making in Kenya
Ceramic mugs made to a repeatable shape and finish
A CONCRETE EXAMPLE · ILLUSTRATIVE
Fictional pottery development batch: hand-build eight mug forms with a target finished capacity near 250 ml, subject to clay shrinkage and a qualified ceramic studio’s validation. A draft slab wall is 300 × 110 × 5 mm with about 10 mm overlap, paired with an approximately 100 mm base blank and one maker-sized handle. These are wet construction dimensions, not a food-safety specification. Finished drinking mugs must not be sold until the clay/glaze/firing combination and applicable food-contact requirements have been competently assessed.
Who is the first customer?
cafes and gift buyers
Test the offer
Make a test batch through competent firing and food-contact checks
What your operating pack contains
- A business-specific operating guide PDF
- Offline itemised costing and quotation tool
- Supplier request and sales message drafts
- Job-card and quality-response documents
- Offline operations desk: supplier comparison, work checkpoints, accepted deliveries and cash tracking
- Cashflow and launch review: downside scenarios, break-even, 13-week cash plan and trial decision
- Source register and unresolved checks
Delivery and quality
No cracks or sharp glaze defects; food-contact suitability verified
Cost drivers
- clay
- kiln use
- rejects
Use your own supplier quotations. Worked figures in the pack are illustrative and do not establish a verified startup budget or profit forecast.
Evidence and scope
Mayco: Dinnerware Suitability and ACMI Information ↗
Manufacturer food-contact and fired-surface distinction; finished mugs need their own clay/glaze/firing assessment. · Checked 2026-10-26
Skutt: Kiln Safety ↗
Manufacturer installation/operating safety route; use a qualified studio and exact kiln manual. · Checked 2026-10-26
CPSC: Art and Craft Safety Guide ↗
Art-material hazard overview; not Kenyan product certification or proof that a selected material is suitable. · Checked 2026-10-26