Featured Categories

Our Ranges Catergorised

more
Brand Names

Clothing & Gift Catalogues

Workwear & PPE -> (579)

Eco Friendly Gifts -> (919)

Executive Gifts -> (1669)

Mens Gifts -> (1566)

Ladies Gifts -> (1853)

At The Office -> (3866)

Caps & Clothing -> (3985)

Luggage & Bags -> (5543)

Pens & Writing -> (5437)

Folders -> (1588)

Drinkware ->

Homeware & Hotel -> (3062)

Kiff Keyrings -> (1463)

Tea & Coffee Time -> (1247)

Behind The Bar -> (1038)

Clocks & Watches -> (2178)

Computer Accessories -> (862)

Conference Corner -> (22)

Fresh Outdoors -> (1435)

GiveAways & Novelties

Gizmos & Gadgets -> (2287)

Lights & Torches -> (960)

Personal Stuff -> (1976)

Radio's & Sound -> (386)

The Golfing Range -> (733)

Tools & Hardware -> (224)

Travel Things -> (1207)

Kids, Fun & Games -> (1878)

Leather Range -> (165)

Purely Promotional -> (1668)

Smoking Section -> (258)

Sports Section -> (1178)

Stationery Supplies -> (2070)

Sunglasses & Novelty -> (500)

Covid-19 Essential Products ->
(186)

Promotional Display -> (417)

Purely African -> (1253)

Our Brands

more

Sort By Brand Names

more

Sort By:

more
Product Colour ->

Product Material ->

Receipients Personality ->

Season ->

Specific Occasion -> (847)

Sort By Price

more

Specify own range

to

Predefined ranges

Under R1.00
From R1.00 to R5.00
From R5.00 to R25.00
From R25.00 to R50.00
From R50.00 to R100.00
From R100.00 to R250.00
From R250.00 to R500.00
From R500.00 to R1,000.00
From R1,000.00 to R1,500.00
From R1,500.00 to R2,500.00
R2,500.00 and above

Sort by Personality

more

Language Selector

Currency Selector

Why are Red and Orange Mugs More Expensive? by Perkal

Welcome to the wonderful world of ceramic science! This lesson covers all the chemistry of colouring promotional mugs and tumblers . If you’ve ever wondered how we get the reds just right (or why it costs more to get ceramic products in orange), this is where you’ll discover the sizzling scientific secrets of ceramics.

If you’ve ever taken a digital stroll through our ceramic mugs page, you might have noticed red and orange coloured mugs are priced slightly higher than their mug brethren in more muted or darker colours. Why should coffee drinkers and tea sippers who prefer to drink from a bright, fiery mug have to pay more? It turns out the higher cost of red and orange ceramics comes down to chemistry. There’s a whole complex chemical process involved in producing red and orange ceramics.
First, a History Lesson

Red and orange glazes have been popular for many years. A well-known example is Fiesta Ware, which was produced by the Homer Laughlin Company. The red Fiesta dinnerware, along with four other colours, was first offered for sale in 1936. The red was extremely popular; it was also the most expensive to produce due to the material costs and the unpredictability of the red glazes when fired in a kiln.

One of the ingredients in the red glaze was a radioactive material called uranium oxide. Lead was also often used in creating colours. This was a pretty common practice before World War II until safer, economical colour-creating chemicals were discovered. Fear not: no one is using radioactive materials in the making of mugs these days. Science has helped manufacturers find alternatives, and laws like Prop 65 and other federal mandates keep toxic materials from showing up in consumer products at harmful levels.
And Now for a Science Lesson!

Mugs (and all ceramics) are usually made from clay and then forged in a fiery kiln – an oven for hardening the dry clay. Ceramics usually go through the firing twice, once to create a durable, hardened product and then again to be glazed, coloured, and decorated. Using a kiln might sound like an old-fashioned process used in a small village, but there’s actually science behind using a kiln to create ceramics. In fact, kiln temperature can have a huge effect on glaze colours like orange and red.

The firing process to create red and orange glazes requires more expertise and care than the firing process to create other colours. Reds and oranges are notoriously fickle colours in the kiln; they need to be fired in a high-oxygen environment because carbon monoxide is produced when the carbon in the clay has burned out. This gas can negatively affect the glaze if it isn’t replaced by oxygen. Ceramics that are glazed with reds or oranges need to be fired at a lower temperature, such as Cone 04, 05, or 06 (that’s anywhere from 1830 – 1940 degrees Fahrenheit). The length of time the items are fired is also important because the reds and oranges can burn out, disappear, or change colour at higher temperatures. This extra care can create extra work and additional cost for these colours.

Today’s red and orange glazes (as well as many paints, chalks, and other supplies) are cadmium-based. Cadmium creates rich yellows, reds, and oranges and is also a stable chemical, unlike the radioactive materials used to create colours in the past. Because of the rich vivid hues cadmium provides for products (as well as the safety and stability it offers), it costs a little bit more.

Orange you glad you came to class today? Creating red and orange ceramic products takes a special chemical reaction, as well as some expertise with using a kiln. Whether you’re looking for a bright, sunny mug to warm up the morning or something in a cooler, darker shade, there are plenty of colours and styles to choose from in the wide world of ceramics – and we know your logo will look great on all of them.
 

This article was published on Thursday 01 February, 2018.

Product Search Tool

 
Use a keyword or product code to find the appropriate product.
Advanced Search
Search Help [?]

Members Login

Your Email Address
Your Password

Log in is done securely
Not yet a Member? Join now
Forgot password? Click here

Why Choose Perkal?

70000+ products from over 300 suppliers all over the world.

No Minimum order requirements on 99% of our range

Extremely Competitive Pricing We will beat any written quote!

Every Product is  Guaranteed

Our Site is 100% Safe & Secure. We use 128 bit encryption to secure our site

Discounted Pricing for Corporate and Trade Clients

We offer Branding on every product with a quick turnaround time

Served over 20000 happy customers to date

Unparalleled Customer Service

We can source almost any product from our China Office - subject to min orders

Current Bestsellers

more
Wooden Pencil
01. Wooden Pencil
R0.94

Bottle opener Keyring - Min Order 100 units
02. Bottle opener Keyring - Min Order 100 units
R4.50

Activate Mints
03. Activate Mints
R3.70

Key Finder - Whistle Keyring
04. Key Finder - Whistle Keyring
R39.80

Pop-It Bottle Opener Keyring
05. Pop-It Bottle Opener Keyring
R3.78

Penflex Ballpoint Clear Meduim Black 50 - Min orders apply, plea
06. Penflex Ballpoint Clear Meduim Black 50 - Min orders apply, plea
R1.37

Pencil with Erazer
07. Pencil with Erazer
R0.95

Executive Talking Clock-Silver

08. Executive Talking Clock-Silver
R69.00

VUVUZELA
09. VUVUZELA
R29.95

Fiesta Pen - Min Order 100 units
10. Fiesta Pen - Min Order 100 units
R3.37

Product Of The Week

Solar Torch Key Ring: 3 LED - Eco-friendly
Solar Torch Key Ring: 3 LED - Eco-friendly
Price  R49.99  
Buy Now

Featured Products

more
Indian Summer Cutlery Set - Min Order: 4
Indian Summer Cutlery Set - Min Order: 4
 R209.55 

News & Articles

New Articles (1)
All Articles (623)
Corporate Gift Articles (401)
Corporate Gift Ideas (11)
Corporate Gifts - Branding (6)
Gadget Articles (60)
Gifts in The Press (75)
Promotional Clothing Articles (38)
Webpage News (18)
General News (37)

Search Articles Text

Ads

Latest products

more
Site Premium Polycotton Workwear Jacket - Reflective Arms & Back
Site Premium Polycotton Workwear Jacket - Reflective Arms & Back

Our Price: R295.98

Follow Perkal

Follow Me on Linkedin Follow Me on Pinterest