The name “China” indicates that the country is the “home of pottery and porcelain.” Bone china is a type of porcelain. It is also known as fine bone china and bone porcelain.

Clay, bone ash, feldspathic material, and kaolin are the main ingredients.

It must go through two firing processes: a high-temperature firing (1250 °C), also known as a biscuit firing; and a low-temperature firing (1150 °C), also known as a glaze firing. The firing procedure is even more challenging for decorated products and can involve up to three firings. (To view the production process, click here and get to know how bone china products are made.)

Aspects

Products made of this material have qualities that other ceramic ware cannot match. They are known as the only high-grade porcelain that is recognized on a global scale.

Transparency

It’s impressive to watch the light pass through the bone porcelain body of a cup when you hold it in the dark and place a torch inside.

Lightweight and milky white

The high level of whiteness and translucency of this material is well known. Tableware made of this material has a milky white color and is lighter than other ceramic items thanks to the addition of bone ash to the raw material. These characteristics have led to bone china’s increasing popularity in modern society.

Hardness

Although it appears fragile and is light and semi-transparent, this porcelain is actually the strongest. Because of its wear-resistant qualities, it is a popular and excellent choice for upscale hotels, casinos and resorts, fine dining restaurants, corporate and academic dining facilities, and more.

It is easy to wash

The tableware made of this fine porcelain has a very smooth surface that is very easy to clean thanks to the two firings and glazing that it has undergone. These tea sets and dinnerware are popular among housewives due to this feature.

0% of toxic substances like lead and cadmium

It is not enough to have an eye-catching appearance. The most important topic on people’s minds is safety. Since we use tableware to serve our food, it is crucial that it is not harmful to our health.

Bone china is thought to be the safest tableware because it contains no lead or cadmium. However, because bone ash is a component of its raw material, it also has health-promoting properties.

The key differences between bone china and other ceramic products

The bone ash content

Each nation has its own requirements for the amount of bone ash. According to Chinese national standards, the percentage of bone ash in China should reach 36% to be called bone china, while the content in the United States is 25% and in the United Kingdom it is 30%.

The bone ash content is typically greater than 40% in Tangshan, making it known as the birthplace of this fine porcelain in China.

Two times firing

The firing process is what distinguishes porcelain from fine bone china. Bone china is produced through two firings, whereas porcelain is produced through a single firing. The temperatures used to fire both types of items vary.