Kevala Ceramics is a high-end ceramics manufacturer combining bespoke artisanal mastery with conscious luxury. Their products are used around the world covering dining, spa, and decorative ceramics for high-end city hotels, award-winning independent restaurants, and luxury island resorts. It’s where vision takes shape. Founder Wendy Thomas established Kevala 17 years ago. Today, Kevala is Indonesia’s leading ceramics manufacturer focusing on handmade ceramics.
Story by Iman Hidajat | Photos by Kevala
What’s the idea behind establishing Kevala?
The idea behind establishing Kevala Ceramics was to create a company specialising in high-quality, custom handmade tableware ceramics. Kevala has flourished among the deep-rooted artisanal traditions of Balinese culture. Tapping into this intrinsic creativity helped shape Kevala’s bespoke communal design process, where custom collections are envisioned, modelled, and brought to life.
Where do you draw inspiration for your designs?
We foster an atmosphere of inclusivity at our workshop, creating a space where our artisans and clients can come together in harmony and explore their collective creativity.
At Kevala, one of our core values is distinct design. We have a team of excellent designers that can match the unique vision of each individual project, ensuring our clients’ creative ideas are brought to life with precision and care.
In your own words, what defines good product design?
A good product design is where our clients vision takes shape. A collaborative imagination intertwines with artistic distinction to create perfectly unique ceramics of exquisite quality.
Sustainability has become increasingly essential nowadays. Could you share with us the sustainability efforts at Kevala?
The intimate relationship we have with a finite resource like clay has formed our responsible approach towards production. We take every possible step to eliminate anything heading towards a landfill and we are continually looking for new ways to make a positive impact. Our aspiration toward a circular system drives us to minimise our environmental footprint, making sustainable luxury an integral part of our brand ethos.
Could you tell us about the well- known Circular Ceramics tableware collection?
Circular Ceramics is the embodiment of symbiotic relationships and material flows that previously did not exist. The Circular Collection is an eco-conscious collaboration between Kevala and designer Sara Howard. Instead of using new raw materials, this fourteen-piece tableware range is created from industrial by-products that would otherwise be left to pollute our natural environments.
The reclaimed materials are captured from marble and granite factory slurries, clay and glaze residues retrieved from water treatment systems, and consumer glass fragments filtered out of rivers. Resulting in a collection made from 70% and 100% waste.
What is the success of Kevala’s industry leadership?
Promoting the wellbeing of everyone working at Kevala always comes first, to ensure we are always up to the task of the most challenging design proposals.