One of the most common requests we receive during product development is straightforward:
“Can you match this color?”
The reference may come from a Pantone code, a paint swatch, a mood board, a competitor product, or even a photograph.
At first glance, matching a color appears simple.
In ceramic manufacturing, however, color development involves much more than selecting a glaze from a catalogue.
The challenge is not creating a color that looks correct once. It is about creating a finish that can be reproduced consistently across hundreds or thousands of pieces.
At Minh Tien Ceramic, glaze development is a structured process designed to bridge the gap between a visual reference and a production-ready finish.
A Color Reference Is Only the Starting Point
Many buyers are surprised to learn that a Pantone code cannot simply be transferred directly onto a ceramic product or easily checked with machinery for 100% accuracy.
Pantone colors are developed for printed materials and graphic applications. Ceramic glazes behave differently.
The final appearance of a glaze depends on multiple variables, including:
- Clay body composition
- Glaze formulation
- Application thickness
- Product shape
- Firing temperature
- Kiln atmosphere
A color that appears accurate on a flat test tile may look completely different on a curved mug or bowl.
For this reason, color references are treated as visual targets rather than exact manufacturing instructions.
Understanding the Desired Finish
Before glaze development begins, we first clarify what the customer is trying to achieve.
The same color can produce very different visual results depending on the finish.
For example:
- Matte finishes absorb light differently than glossy finishes.
- Reactive glazes create intentional variation from piece to piece.
- Speckled glazes introduce texture and depth.
- Hand-applied effects create a more artisanal appearance.
Two products may share the same color family while delivering completely different visual impressions.
Understanding the intended aesthetic helps guide glaze selection and development from the beginning.
Developing the First Glaze Samples
Once the target appearance is defined, our glaze technicians begin testing.
This stage involves creating sample formulations and applying them to stoneware test pieces.
Rather than producing a single version, we typically develop multiple variations around the target reference.
One sample may prioritize color accuracy.
Another may prioritize how the color appears after firing on the actual product form.
A third may improve long-term production stability.
This approach gives buyers a more realistic view of the options available rather than forcing a single interpretation of the reference.
Why Glaze Development Requires Firing
Unlike paint, ceramic glaze does not reveal its final appearance until it has been fired.
Before firing, many glazes look completely different from their finished color.
Only after exposure to temperatures exceeding 1200°C do the minerals within the glaze melt, react, and form the final surface.
This is why glaze development cannot be completed digitally.
Every adjustment must be tested under actual firing conditions.
Even small changes to firing schedules can influence the final outcome.
For buyers, this explains why custom glaze development often requires multiple sampling rounds before approval.
Why Repeatability Matters More Than Perfect Matching
Many buyers focus on achieving an exact colour match when repeatability should be the first priority.
A finish that is 90% aligned with the original reference but can be reproduced consistently across future production runs is often more valuable (and reliable) than a perfect colour match that cannot be controlled at scale.
For this reason, glaze development is not simply about creating beautiful samples.
It is about developing production-ready finishes that support long-term quality and consistency.
At Minh Tien Ceramic, every glaze development project is approached with both objectives in mind: achieving the desired aesthetic and ensuring the finish can be reproduced reliably in production.
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