If you're passionate about working with your hands and also have a good eye for simple, contemporary shapes and colors, then your own porcelain label is bound to be a success. That's certainly true for Laureanne and her label Laureanne Kootstra .

An average porcelain vessel requires nine work steps before it is finally ready for sale (Laureanna Kootstra).

manuFACTORY - open workshop for porcelain in Berlin

Besides her work as a founder, Laureanne is also studying product design in Berlin. The Dutch native came to Berlin almost seven years ago and quickly realized during her studies that she wanted to do something hands-on. That's how her own label came about. Laureanne works, together with other designers and artists, at manuFACTORY in Berlin – an open workshop for porcelain.

Porcelain - Quick Facts

During my visit to the manuFACTORY, Laureanne told me some interesting facts about porcelain:

• Porcelain is made from a mixture of kaolin (porcelain clay), feldspar and quartz.
• Difference between porcelain and ceramics: Porcelain belongs to the product group of ceramics and, unlike ceramics, is translucent.
• Porcelain can be used glazed or unglazed.

Is porcelain sustainable?

Generally, porcelain consists of three natural raw materials: kaolin, feldspar, and quartz. Laureanne explains to me that the manuFactory is careful to source only raw materials from Germany that have been mined here. Because Laureanne produces only in small batches, she has very little surplus material that she can't sell. However, she explains that large manufacturers generate a huge amount of waste because porcelain products are discarded for even the slightest flaw. Industrial production thus creates an enormous surplus of discarded material and products. Therefore, it's primarily a question of how much a manufacturer produces and how much surplus ultimately ends up in the trash.

If you want to learn more about Laureanne and her porcelain, then check out her website , her Facebook page , or her Instagram account :)