There’s a childlike pleasure you get from picking up bright and shiny, lacquered pieces of pottery and that’s a pleasure Clayworks has been delivering spot on the money. While many of us remember hand carrying ceramics from our travels abroad, life became simpler when Clayworks came along around 20 years ago, and made lovely pieces easily accessible here. Mugs, plates, pots, serving dishes and unique little and large items began making their way into our homes; you’d have definitely met a Clayworks piece in one restaurant or the other across Pakistan.

The brand became very active on Instagram a couple of years ago and today it’s delightful to get their colourful posts on your feed; it’s also super easy to book and buy pieces that you like. My latest buy: dessert bowls from the black and white Huroof collection. There’s something about scripts that I connect with immediately. And it’s always good to have household items that are Made in Pakistan, proud and perfect.

So, Lahore based entrepreneur Mahbina Waheed started Clayworks in 1999 and the idea was to start manufacturing high quality, international design standard ceramics in Pakistan. All products are manufactured at her factory in Lahore and are packaged and delivered with utmost care and love when ordered.

While Clayworks has a very vast range of products, my personal favourites would be the dessert bowls and various serving platters, that make tea parties so much fun. I’m waiting for when Clayworks will introduce larger pots and planters.

Clayworks products, as Mahbina explained, are primarily made for homes and restaurants and are being exported as well. They won the Karandaaz Women Entrepreneurs challenge in December 2018. “This has enabled us to expand our production and buy modern equipment allowing us to increase our speed of production,” Mahbina says.