Pottery Factory Kuching

Kuching's potteries are grouped together at 8th Mile on the Penrissen Road, of Kuching City.

Buses STC Nos 3, 3A, 9A & 9B ply the Penrissen Road.

The potteries has two areas - the showroom at roadside and the factory area at the back.

The showrooms has a wide range of ceramic wares ranging from huge pots and jars to smaller souvenir items of coffee mugs and flower vases.

Visitors are welcome to stroll around the factory area at the back.

At the back of the showroom you'll find the artisans at work - the potters sitting on low stools by their wheels and artists decorating the pots with colourful Sarawak-inspired designs.

Watch how a skilled potter transform an ordinary lump of clay into a beautiful cylindrical vase in just a few minutes.

The potter sits at a low stool and places a lump of clay on the wheel. By touching a pedal the potter sets the motorised wheel in motion and then presses his thumbs into the clay to create a hollow opening.

He then works his way upwards and outwards to form the desired shape of pot.

During this process, the potter frequently dips his hands into a nearby bowl of water to keep them lubricated for the task at hand.

When the pot is finished, the potter removes it by tilting it off the wheel or cutting it off with a thin piece of wire. The assistant then places the pot on a plank of wood and the potter starts the process again.

When the plank of wood is full of pots it is carried away and the pots are left to dry.

If a design is to be cut into the surface it will be done when the pot is still damp.

When the pots are dry they can be painted with their chosen designs.

After all cutting and painting is complete the pots are glazed, either with a brush or with a fine spray.

Only when the pots are absolutely bone dry can they be fired. Even the smallest patch of dampness can cause the pot to crack.

Until very recently, Sarawak's potters used the traditional wood-fired tunnel kilns built by their forefathers when they first arrived in Sarawak.

These "dragon kilns" were approximately 25 metres long and could accommodate up to a 1,000 pots of various sizes.

The kilns had two openings which were bricked up before the kiln was fired. Firing took 36-48 hours, and after that the kiln was left to cool for a full day before being opened and unloaded.

The potteries have now stopping using the old kilns and most of them use gas-fired kilns.

There were two main reasons for the switch. Firstly, the modern gas-fired kilns now in use offer exact temperature control, and secondly government policy was to encourage traditional industries to reduce smoke emissions where possible.

Although the Penrissen Road potteries are all quite similar, one factory that is well worth a visit is the Ngee Tai Pottery Factory. This pottery is located on the right hand side of the road if you are travelling from Kuching. This makes its a convenient stopping place if you are on your way back from Semengoh to Kuching.

Ngee Tai Pottery now uses a gas fired kiln but the old tunnel-shaped dragon kiln is still located at the back of the showroom. The factory stopped using the traditional kiln about three years ago but visitors are welcome to take a look at as they wander around.