Ceramic Tableware Specification Reference: Sizes, Tolerances, Packing

Tableware, Vases & Tea Sets Approvisionnement en gros en vaisselle en céramique : guide B2B · ← B2B Plate Sizing Standards for

A single reference for the numbers that decide whether a ceramic order ships clean: fired sizes, tolerances, wall thickness, packing density and the test standards US and EU buyers actually ask for. Every figure below is what we quote on our own production lines, and each one is specific enough to put on a purchase order.

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Ceramic Tableware Specification Reference: Sizes, Tolerances, Packing 3
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Mug sizes: capacity, dimensions and weight

Dimension nominaleCapacitéDiamètre maximalHauteurBody weightWall
8 oz230–240 ml75–78 mm85–90 mm260 à 300 g4.0–4.5 mm
11 oz320–340 ml80–84 mm95–100 mm320–380 g4.0–4.5 mm
15 oz440–460 ml85–90 mm110–118 mm420 à 480 g4.5–5.0 mm
Expresso80–90 ml55–58 mm55–60 mm120–150 g3.5–4.0 mm

Capacity is measured to the rim minus 10 mm of headroom, which is the fill line a customer actually uses. A mug quoted at 350 ml that overflows at 300 ml was measured to the brim.

Plate sizes: fired diameter and weight

NominalFired diameterWell depthWeight (stoneware)Weight (porcelain)
6 inch150–155 mm12–14 mm200–240 g150–180 g
8 inch200–205 mm15–17 mm380–430 g300–340 g
10 inch250–257 mm18–20 mm560–620 g450–500 g
11 inch275–282 mm20–22 mm680–750 g540–600 g
Charger320–335 mmflat, 8–10 mm rim850–1,000 g700–820 g

Clay shrinks 10–13 percent between forming and glaze firing, so a 30 cm jigger mould lands at 264–270 mm. Always specify the fired number.

Bowls: capacity at a given depth

DiameterProfondeurUsable capacityTypical use
115 mm45 mm150–180 mlDipping, dessert
125 mm75 mm450–520 mlMatcha, soup
150 mm60 mm520–600 mlPasta, salad
180 mm70 mm850–950 mlRamen, sharing

Two suppliers quoting a “125 mm bowl” can differ by 120 ml. Ask for the millilitre figure at the stated depth.

Tolerances to write into the PO

Biens immobiliersStandard toleranceNotes
Fired diameter±2%On a 267 mm plate that is 261–272 mm
Hauteur±3%Includes foot ring variation
Body weight±5%Drives carton gross weight and freight
Glaze thickness0.25–0.35 mmBelow 0.20 mm crazes within 18 months
Handle pull strength5 kg static, 60 sTest on 5 pieces per batch
Flatness (plate)≤1.5 mm across the wellBeyond that a plate rocks on a table
Colour matchΔE ≤ 1.5 vs approved chipMeasure under D65 light

Packing and cubage

ProduitInnerMasterMaster volumeGross weight
11 oz mug12 pcs48 pcs0.048–0.055 m³17–19 kg
27 cm plate12 pcs48 pcs0.048 m³34–38 kg
125 mm bowl12 pcs72 pcs0.042 m³16–18 kg
12 cm planter12 pcs12 pcs0.032 m³5.2 kg
Travel tea set1 set12 sets0.055 m³14 kg

On a 40 foot high cube at 68 m³ usable, 0.048 m³ per master means about 1,410 masters. A 2 cm change in carton dimension moves that by 4 to 6 percent.

Test standards and what they cover

MarketStandardCovers
USAFDA 21 CFR 175.300Food-contact resin and glaze extraction
USA (California)Prop 65Lead and cadmium warning thresholds
EU / GermanyLFGB §30 & §31Migration limits and sensory testing
EU general1935/2004/ECFramework regulation for food contact
Dishwasher500 cycles at 60 °CDecoration and glaze durability
MicrowaveNo metallic decorationGold and platinum decals are not microwave safe

A test report should name the article, the glaze and the lab’s accreditation. A report that says “ceramic ware” without an article reference will be rejected by most retail buyers.

Sampling: the three stages

First, a white body sample to confirm geometry and weight. Second, a glazed sample to confirm colour under your own lighting, not the factory’s. Third, a production sample pulled after the first 200 pieces of the run, which is the only stage that catches shrinkage drift and glaze batch variation.

Keep one piece from each stage and photograph it next to a ruler. A photo without scale cannot settle a claim six months later.

How to use this reference in practice

Numbers on a page only help if they reach the purchase order. The practical workflow is to copy the relevant table into the PO, delete what does not apply, and add the two items that are specific to your order: the glaze code and the artwork file reference.

A complete PO for a mug order therefore carries six lines: fired capacity and diameter with tolerance, body weight with tolerance, glaze code plus a retained fired chip, decoration method and position, packing specification with carton cubage and gross weight, and the test standard required for the destination market.

For a plate order, replace the decoration line with well depth and flatness, and add the charger pairing if the range includes one. For a bowl, capacity at the stated depth replaces weight as the critical line, because two bowls with the same diameter can differ by 120 ml.

Keep the reference updated as specifications change. A number that was correct two years ago is worse than no number, because it gets copied into an order that the factory then builds to.

Two habits keep the reference useful: date every revision and note which factory line it came from. A tolerance that holds on one kiln does not automatically hold on another, and a number without a source is a number that gets argued about.

The five mistakes we see most

Quoting inches and tolerating centimetres. Approving a single sample instead of a range. Specifying the box before the fired size is fixed. Ignoring carton cubage until the freight quote arrives. And accepting a test report that names no article.

For the mug-specific detail behind this reference, see our ceramic mug specifications reference. For plate geometry and well areas, the plate sizing standards guide goes deeper, and current shapes are listed in the tasse en céramique et vaisselle ranges.

Range: vaisselle · tasse en céramique.

Related categories: travel tea sets, mugs en céramique · ceramic manufacturing notes

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