They’re a favorite of families and restaurants throughout the nation, but do you know just how your china and Fiesta Ware is made? We’ve been huge fans of the china for years, and we’ve gathered a rainbow of Fiesta in our cabinets that we use daily. But from purchasing the items in the store, we’re a bit disconnected from knowing how each item is made before it makes it our home and kitchen.
In the small town of Newell, WV you’ll find the factory of Homer Laughlin China. Inside, not only do they make their name sake Homer Laughlin China, but also custom plates and designs and the popular Fiesta china. All items are made on the same location, items are developed and designs are created all within the walls of the Homer Laughlin China.
While traveling through the area, we were given an exclusive look into the company and the factory floor. When you first walk into the building you’ll be welcomed by the Factory Outlet area where you can not only get all of the current colors, designs and sets at a steep discount, but the seconds room where you can get an even better deal. Small blemishes may result in a steal that me too good to be true, but the items still hold all of the great things we love about Fiesta products.
But upstairs and in the factory is another world, where you find stacks of products drying before they’re dipped and fired. Each wet clay item will reduce about 2/3rds in size before it it completed. Items are formed by hand, by machine and set to air dry before they move to the next step. All mugs have handles hand placed by artists and workers who make sure everything is done with accuracy.
Homer Laughlin has a commitment to the environment and recycles whenever possible. From reusing cardboard, packaging and anything they can to help reduce waste to even reusing clay from items that do not fire correctly or dry correctly. They are able to reduce their impact on the environment and help reduce their own costs at the same time.
While they change the colors every year, the process at Homer Laughlin China for Fiesta is extremely precise and they utilize local artists to create the china we know and love. The molds are still carved by hand, decals are placed with precision by a dedicated team, and line work is done by an artist one by one as the items come off the line.
The dedication to quality, artistry and the environment are just part of the reason we love the brands that come out of Homer Laughlin China. Our Fiesta ware goes easily from oven to table, and is our every day china that will last for generations to come. Each new color release adds to our ever growing collection.
If you’re in the area of Newell, WV be sure to swing by the Fiesta Factory Outlet to start your collection or to add to a growing one. On your way to the facility be sure to stop by and take a look at the smash pile that sits right outside – where broken plates and items color a hillside and is noticeable from a distance. Take a little bit to explore the museum at the factory and the expanded sales floor (coming soon!)
Take a look at how your china is made at Homer Laughlin China:
For more information on Homer Laughlin China visit their website.
