One of the most significant advantages of sourcing ceramic pots and planters direct from a manufacturer — rather than through a retailer, platform, or trading company — is the ability to commission genuinely custom work. Custom ceramic means: a glaze colour matched to your exact project palette, a size that doesn’t exist in any standard catalogue, a surface finish that is exclusive to your brand, or a form developed specifically for your design brief. At DNF Ceramics, custom ceramic production has been part of our offer since 1976. This guide explains exactly what is customisable, what the process involves, what it costs in time and MOQ, and how to submit a custom order brief that gets you an accurate quote.
What Can Be Customised at DNF Ceramics
Glaze Colour
The most commonly requested customisation. Our standard glaze range covers a wide spectrum of colours and finishes — but interior design projects frequently require a colour that matches an existing project palette with precision. DNF Ceramics can formulate custom glaze colours matched to: Pantone references, NCS colour codes, RAL colour references, or a physical sample (tile, fabric, paint chip) submitted by the designer. All custom glazes are lead-free — a non-negotiable standard across our entire production.
Custom glaze colours require a glaze formulation and test firing before production, which adds 7–10 days to the sample stage. Two or three test iterations are sometimes needed to achieve an accurate match — this is normal in glaze chemistry and should be planned into your project timeline.
Size and Dimensions
DNF Ceramics manufactures ceramic pots and planters from compact tabletop sizes through to extra large outdoor planters above 120cm height. Beyond our standard size range, custom dimensions are available for both height and diameter. Custom sizes are achieved through modified mould tooling for slip-cast forms or skilled hand-building for larger pieces. There is a tooling cost for new mould development, which is absorbed into the per-unit price across the custom MOQ.
Surface Finish
Beyond standard gloss and matte glazes, custom surface finishes include: reactive glazes (producing natural variation in the fired surface — each piece slightly unique); speckled and textured effects; metallic oxide washes; layered multi-colour glaze applications; and combinations of glazed and unglazed surfaces on the same piece. Finish samples are available for review before production commitment.
Form and Shape
For projects requiring a completely unique form — a planter profile that reflects the architecture of the building, a vase form developed specifically for a brand’s visual identity, or a sculptural piece for a lobby installation — DNF Ceramics works with designers through a collaborative development process. This involves: brief submission, 3D sketch or reference image review, prototype development, physical sample production, and approval before full batch production.
Logo Printing and Branding
For branded hospitality environments — hotel chains, branded restaurants, corporate headquarters — logo-printed ceramic pots are available with your organisation’s mark applied by screen printing or decal transfer and fixed in the kiln during the final firing. Logo printing requires a vector artwork file and a minimum of 50 pieces per design. Placement, size, and colour are confirmed during the sample stage.
The Custom Order Process: Step by Step
- Submit your brief — product type, size (or size range), quantity, glaze colour reference (Pantone/NCS/RAL or sample), finish type, and any special requirements
- Receive a quotation — within 48 business hours, covering per-unit price at your stated quantity, custom tooling or glaze formulation costs if applicable, and lead time
- Glaze test firing — for custom colours, glaze formulation and test firing: 7–10 days. Physical test samples are shipped for your approval
- Sample approval — once glaze colour and finish are approved, a full prototype piece is produced: 7–10 additional days. This is the piece your team physically signs off on before production
- Production confirmation — you confirm the sample and release the bulk production order with 50% advance payment
- Full production — runs to the agreed timeline from the lead times guide. Standard custom orders: 20–30 days from production start to dispatch
- QC and dispatch — every piece inspected against the approved sample before packing. Export-grade packaging for all orders
Custom MOQ and Pricing
Custom specifications carry the same MOQ as standard products per category — 50 pieces for most ceramic products, 30 pieces for tall and extra large planters, 25 pieces for FRP. Custom glaze formulation involves a one-time development cost that is absorbed into the per-unit price at the confirmed MOQ. For a full breakdown of how MOQs work across all product categories, read our MOQ guide.
Custom pricing is higher per unit than standard range pricing, reflecting the additional production stages. The premium varies by complexity — a custom glaze colour on a standard size form carries a modest premium; a fully bespoke form with custom glaze and logo printing carries a higher premium. All custom pricing is provided in full in the quotation stage.
What to Include in Your Custom Brief
The more detail in your initial brief, the more accurate your quotation and the fewer revision cycles in the sample stage. Include: product type (planter, vase, bowl), height and diameter (or size range), quantity, intended use (indoor lobby, outdoor garden, restaurant table), glaze colour reference, finish preference, drainage requirements, any branding requirements, delivery location, and target completion date. For designers specifying across a full interior project, read our Complete Guide to Specifying Planters for Interior Projects and how interior designers source ceramics direct from Khurja.
