Authentic Italian Terracotta Pots | Elegant Home and Garden Decor

Italian Terracotta Pots
Handmade Italian Terracotta Pots

There is no finer terracotta than Tuscan terracotta! And ours at Simply Stunning come from a single pottery in Tuscany, just 40 minutes from Siena. Of Italy’s 20 regions, Tuscany is widely known for its beautiful landscapes and activity around the arts, including being the home of the 14th-century Renaissance movement.

'Galestro' quality?
Italy is known as one of the world's leading producers of terracotta pots. With a natural abundance of clay, potteries have been taking advantage of these natural resources for centuries.
Now in 2024, there are pots of all qualities that come from Tuscany. Most of our Italian pots are made with premium quality Galestro clay. This clay used to make our Italian pots is mixed from a specific rock found in the local clay sediments. This granular slate is crushed to produce a clay rich in hard minerals. This Galestro clay (as it is known) produces pots with tremendous colour and solid, frost-proof qualities. All of our quality Galestro pots are stamped to provide a guarantee of their quality.

Color
The textured tone of terracotta is unique compared to standard pots produced elsewhere. Once fired, the granulated clay binds together tightly and takes on a red-orange color with a crystalline, semi-rough finish. This is caused by the release of mineral salts to the surface. This is sometimes more noticeable in one pot than another, depending on certain factors such as...

• The concentration of mineral salts in clay
• Time in the drying room
• Drying speed
• Handling of pots during the drying period (visible fingerprints).

It is not uncommon to find pots with hand or finger prints, which is a testament to the handmade production process... all by hand!

Frost
In addition to their intrinsic beauty, the pots have a high resistance against prolonged frosts, tested down to -20 degrees Celsius, making them ideal for the mountainous areas around Catalonia and towards Andorra and the Pyrenees.

Manufacturing
Once the clay has been processed, the substance is pressed by hand into molds. It is important to achieve perfection in molding to ensure that there are no defects in the finished product. These molds are routinely replaced to ensure that the decoration is crisp and consistent between batches. Once the pots have been cast, the next step is to let them air dry for over 20 days. During this period, the clay pots have the opportunity to release additional moisture before going into the kiln.