colombian black pottery: an ancient tradition.

At our Winter Shopping Day on October 21, you can get your hands on an exclusive Bandeja Andina, a beautiful piece of Colombian Black Pottery, for free. All you have to do is spend at least €150 after discount on the day.

But what exactly is Black Pottery, and why did we choose this traditional Colombian craft?

black pottery: a tradition from la chamba

Black Pottery refers to the distinctive black ceramics made in La Chamba, a small village in the Colombian Andes. Creating Black Pottery is an art in its own right, passed down from generation to generation by the local community.

Black Pottery is made from a blend of different types of clay sourced from volcanic soil. This gives the pottery its natural heat-resistant properties. In Colombia, it is therefore mainly used in the kitchen to prepare and serve traditional dishes. But Black Pottery also makes a beautiful addition to your interior.

why RainPharma chose black pottery

Colombia is the birthplace of Eric, co-founder of RainPharma. Eric grew up in Cartagena, a colourful coastal city in the north of the country. Black Pottery was a familiar sight in his childhood home, especially in the kitchen, where his mother used it to serve his favourite dishes.

So it was Eric’s idea to bring this authentic Colombian pottery to Belgium — and with it, a little piece of the Colombian spirit.

supporting the local community

The Bandejas Andinas for our Winter Shopping Day were handcrafted by local artisans from La Chamba. More than 20 craftspeople were involved in creating these beautiful dishes, following traditional methods with respect for both people and nature.

from clay to black pottery

Creating Black Pottery is a true team effort in the community of La Chamba, with both men and women playing an important role. Men traditionally extract and transport the raw materials, while women transform the clay into beautiful plates, vases, bowls and dishes. Locally, these artisans are known as alfareros, which simply means “potters”.

Making Black Pottery requires a great deal of precision and patience, as the process involves almost 10 different steps before a piece is complete. Here’s a look at how our Bandejas Andinas were made:

extracting the clay

The first step is extracting different types of clay from so-called “clay mines”. The clay comes from volcanic soil, which gives Black Pottery its natural heat-resistant properties.

preparing the clay

The clay is then moistened and kneaded until it becomes smooth and homogeneous. This is an important step in ensuring the quality of the finished pieces.

shaping the clay

Next, the clay is worked and shaped entirely by hand to create the bowls.

drying

The bowls are left out in the sun for several days to dry. This step is essential to ensure the strength and durability of the Black Pottery.

applying the coating

The bowls are then smoothed and coated. The coating is made from red clay and is completely natural. After coating, the bandejas are once again left in the sun to dry.

polishing

In the next step, the bowls are polished using stones to create a beautifully smooth and even surface.

firing in a wood-fired kiln

After polishing, the bowls are fired in a traditional wood-fired kiln that can reach temperatures of up to 900°C. It is during this step that the pottery takes on the distinctive black colour that gives Black Pottery its name.

cooling and finishing

Once the bowls have been fired and cooled, the alfareros add the final details, such as the handles on the Bandejas Andinas that you can get your hands on at our Winter Shopping Day.