I wrote about this in the past, about running a green ceramic studio, and what we can do to reduce the impact of our work on the planet.
For the new year, I gathered again the important points of how to run an environmentally responsible ceramic studio.
Ceramics is considered to be a friendly and earthly industry, and many people start making ceramic under the impression that it is an eco-friendly choice, but actually, the ceramic industry contributes to the pollution of our water and soil, industrial mining, and global warming. Making pottery in big factories is very energy-consuming, clay that comes from the other side of the globe, toxic materials, kilns that consume a lot of energy. the mining of raw materials and the firing of kilns are two of the most environmentally costly aspects of making ceramics these days.
Small scale ceramic studios generally do not impact the environment on the scale of industrial ceramics,
these studios do not have a significant carbon footprint compared to mass production factories, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be responsible and take action.
To produce environmentally friendly products, we can follow some important points:
Recycle all the clay: very basic and very important, reuse all unfired clay is the must-do number one rule all ceramists should follow, it’s a lot of work but it’s very important. I am recycling every bit of clay that I can, once you make a habit out of it, it’s simple to follow.
Collect and reuse clay slurry mix: that means to collect all clay that washed down the sink. I use a clay trap, (settling tank) under the sink, ensuring no clay or glaze materials end up in the pipes. The leftover clay that washes in the sink settles in the tank and does not block the drains. clay and glaze leftovers shouldn’t go into the sewerage because they can pollute the water. The problem is to get rid of heavy metals like oxides in the clay slurry mix, with the filter tank most of it sinks, and you can reuse it later, cast it into bricks, or other pieces.
Reuse glaze: that means to collect all glaze scrapings together, also dry glaze or old one, and mix it in one bucket. It calls the ‘mystery glaze’ because it’s a mixture of so many different glazes and you have no idea what will come out of it.
If you must throw away glaze, leave it to dry out and dispose of it in the chemical waste collection point rather than down the drain.
Something else I learned that potters do is to keep a separate bucket of water for the glazing to wash hands, brushes, all glazing tools, instead of washing it in the sink. You leave the glaze mix in the bucket to settle overnight, pour off the water, collect the settled glaze at the bottom, and add it to your mystery glaze. I must say that this one I find hard to follow.
Use green energy: in my studio, I am using 100% green, sustainable energy, which is a bit more expensive, they provide you with 100% sustainable energy from Dutch windmills.
Using an efficient computerized electric kiln: my 100-liter electric kiln allows me to optimize each firing, the size is perfect for me, that way I can fire (almost every time) economical firing, full kiln loads, and not half-empty ones.
Fire to a low temperature: I am working only with low-temperature clay which saves a lot of energy. I got used to it and I love working with the lower temperatures.
Drying works naturally without using an electric fan or costly kiln preheats, I must say it can be very challenging in wintertime when I have a big order and not enough time.
Display lights on a timer: on my display window in my studio I use a timer for the lights so it can still be lighted during the evenings but stop it from being on all the time.
Bike to work! I’m doing my best, although sometimes it’s hard in the Dutch winter…
Buying local materials: work with local materials. I buy and work with materials that are produced in the Netherlands or nearby. the slip casting clay that I use is being produced in the Netherland, the earthenware clay I use for hand-building is being produced in Germany, and the glazes I use are being produced in the Netherlands and Germany. Some materials used for the production of the clay are coming from France and the UK.
No toxic materials: avoid using toxic glaze and lead-free materials. that include lead, chromium oxide, nickel oxide, and barium carbonate. Today it’s easy to find nontoxic beautiful glazes.
I don’t use toxic glazes and colors, that can be harmful to people but also to the environment. cobalt I don’t use at all, the same with Lusters that I rarely use.
You can always ask your supplier whether your cobalt or other materials are coming from an ethically mined source and if not, consider using other colors instead.
Buying materials in big bunches: this is of course more economical.
Reuse broken pots: I know It is possible to recycle baked broken ceramics to make new glazes if you have access to a ball mill to grind them up to tiny pieces. I don’t have this option, but I give my baked broken pieces to a mosaic artist, I sell my flawed pieces at a lower price, or I put a box outside my studio with the flawed pieces, for free, so people can use them. You can also donate broken tiles and ceramics to local schools’ art programs. You can also smash the baked broken pieces and use them for building and gravel for gardening.
Packaging: Always use recycled, reused, and/or eco-packaging for shipping.
Buy recycled packaging or collect packaging from friends and family, like boxes, packing paper, and bubble wrap that already has been used and that would otherwise end up in the garbage.
I reuse all the packing materials from my husband’s business, he is a carpenter, and he gets all the wood materials wrapped in bubbles, I reuse them to pack my pieces.
Sometimes I also get carton boxes from my neighbors’ business for reuse.
“Free-cycle” is also a great idea if you work in a communal studio or complex, set up a “free-cycle” area in the common space so that artists and designers can pass on unneeded usable things to the next person.
I hope you found it helpful, please let me know if you have something to add.
How to run an environmentally responsible ceramic studio?
For the new year, I gathered again the important points of how to run an environmentally responsible ceramic studio.
Ceramics is considered to be a friendly and earthly industry, and many people start making ceramic under the impression that it is an eco-friendly choice, but actually, the ceramic industry contributes to the pollution of our water and soil, industrial mining, and global warming. Making pottery in big factories is very energy-consuming, clay that comes from the other side of the globe, toxic materials, kilns that consume a lot of energy. the mining of raw materials and the firing of kilns are two of the most environmentally costly aspects of making ceramics these days.
Small scale ceramic studios generally do not impact the environment on the scale of industrial ceramics,
these studios do not have a significant carbon footprint compared to mass production factories, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be responsible and take action.
To produce environmentally friendly products, we can follow some important points:
Recycle all the clay: very basic and very important, reuse all unfired clay is the must-do number one rule all ceramists should follow, it’s a lot of work but it’s very important. I am recycling every bit of clay that I can, once you make a habit out of it, it’s simple to follow.
Collect and reuse clay slurry mix: that means to collect all clay that washed down the sink. I use a clay trap, (settling tank) under the sink, ensuring no clay or glaze materials end up in the pipes. The leftover clay that washes in the sink settles in the tank and does not block the drains. clay and glaze leftovers shouldn’t go into the sewerage because they can pollute the water. The problem is to get rid of heavy metals like oxides in the clay slurry mix, with the filter tank most of it sinks, and you can reuse it later, cast it into bricks, or other pieces.
Reuse glaze: that means to collect all glaze scrapings together, also dry glaze or old one, and mix it in one bucket. It calls the ‘mystery glaze’ because it’s a mixture of so many different glazes and you have no idea what will come out of it.
If you must throw away glaze, leave it to dry out and dispose of it in the chemical waste collection point rather than down the drain.
Something else I learned that potters do is to keep a separate bucket of water for the glazing to wash hands, brushes, all glazing tools, instead of washing it in the sink. You leave the glaze mix in the bucket to settle overnight, pour off the water, collect the settled glaze at the bottom, and add it to your mystery glaze. I must say that this one I find hard to follow.
Use green energy: in my studio, I am using 100% green, sustainable energy, which is a bit more expensive, they provide you with 100% sustainable energy from Dutch windmills.
Using an efficient computerized electric kiln: my 100-liter electric kiln allows me to optimize each firing, the size is perfect for me, that way I can fire (almost every time) economical firing, full kiln loads, and not half-empty ones.
Fire to a low temperature: I am working only with low-temperature clay which saves a lot of energy. I got used to it and I love working with the lower temperatures.
Drying works naturally without using an electric fan or costly kiln preheats, I must say it can be very challenging in wintertime when I have a big order and not enough time.
Display lights on a timer: on my display window in my studio I use a timer for the lights so it can still be lighted during the evenings but stop it from being on all the time.
Bike to work! I’m doing my best, although sometimes it’s hard in the Dutch winter…
Buying local materials: work with local materials. I buy and work with materials that are produced in the Netherlands or nearby. the slip casting clay that I use is being produced in the Netherland, the earthenware clay I use for hand-building is being produced in Germany, and the glazes I use are being produced in the Netherlands and Germany. Some materials used for the production of the clay are coming from France and the UK.
No toxic materials: avoid using toxic glaze and lead-free materials. that include lead, chromium oxide, nickel oxide, and barium carbonate. Today it’s easy to find nontoxic beautiful glazes.
I don’t use toxic glazes and colors, that can be harmful to people but also to the environment. cobalt I don’t use at all, the same with Lusters that I rarely use.
You can always ask your supplier whether your cobalt or other materials are coming from an ethically mined source and if not, consider using other colors instead.
Buying materials in big bunches: this is of course more economical.
Reuse broken pots: I know It is possible to recycle baked broken ceramics to make new glazes if you have access to a ball mill to grind them up to tiny pieces. I don’t have this option, but I give my baked broken pieces to a mosaic artist, I sell my flawed pieces at a lower price, or I put a box outside my studio with the flawed pieces, for free, so people can use them. You can also donate broken tiles and ceramics to local schools’ art programs. You can also smash the baked broken pieces and use them for building and gravel for gardening.
Packaging: Always use recycled, reused, and/or eco-packaging for shipping.
Buy recycled packaging or collect packaging from friends and family, like boxes, packing paper, and bubble wrap that already has been used and that would otherwise end up in the garbage.
I reuse all the packing materials from my husband’s business, he is a carpenter, and he gets all the wood materials wrapped in bubbles, I reuse them to pack my pieces.
Sometimes I also get carton boxes from my neighbors’ business for reuse.
“Free-cycle” is also a great idea if you work in a communal studio or complex, set up a “free-cycle” area in the common space so that artists and designers can pass on unneeded usable things to the next person.
I hope you found it helpful, please let me know if you have something to add.
Take care,
Kesem