Background
Dedza is the highest town in Malawi and Dedza mountain, reaching up to nearly 7,000 feet, forms the backdrop to Dedza Pottery. The slopes of the mountain are covered with a well managed pine forest that supplies timber and firewood to a wide region. It is a beautiful and unspoilt environment in which to create, and great care is taken not to cause any environmental damage in the pottery operations. The pottery was started, as a private business, in 1987 by Chris and Charity Stevens.

The aim has always been to create ceramics that compete both technically and in design with the very best of international craftwork. Our products include a full range of tableware, hand modelled figurines, red clay garden pots, beads, glazed tiles, bathroom fittings, quarry tiles, firebricks and electrical insulators. From an initial workforce of 7 in 1987 we now employ over 270 permanent members. We find and prepare nearly all our raw materials locally, and much of the production is fired in kilns that burn the waste sawdust from the sawmill in Dedza and rice husks at Nkhotakota. Most of the glaze firings are done in highly efficient electric kilns with accurate controllers. All glazes used on our tableware are 100% non-toxic; thus the pots are completely safe for use with, or for storing, any kind of food or drink. They have been tested by the British Ceramic Research Association and meet all international safety standards. In 1997 we began exporting to Oxfam in U.K. As a partner of Oxfam we ensure that we follow the conditions of service for our staff drawn up under the “Ethical Trading Initiative”.

Buying Pottery Worldwide
We export to about 50 individual customers all over the world every month. Go to products to see some of our range of products and how to order pots by email. Nearly half of what we produce is specially made to order, so whether you need one special piece or a full bespoke range for an exclusive restaurant or lodge please let us give you a quotation.

Commercial Products
Contact us for details and prices for Quarry Tiles, Firebricks, Bobbin Insulators, Face Bricks and Micro Concrete Roofing Tiles.

Potting Holidays at Nkhotakota Pottery
Nkhotakota Pottery, set on the shore of Lake Malawi , opened in 1998. The site, with a long unspoilt sandy beach, was chosen specifically to be an attractive place to welcome visitors. The 2 & 3 week pottery courses are designed for beginners and experienced potters and give guests a chance to enjoy potting in a fully equipped workshop; relax in a beautiful setting; work with traditional African potters and experience something of the real Malawi . The first courses were run in 2001 and by now we have welcomed guests from over 10 different countries.

Nyasa Lodges & Safaris – click here to see information on bespoke tours and safaris in Malawi and Zambia .

Comments from Guests who have been on Potting Holidays at Nkhotakota Pottery
Several guests have offered to give information to anyone thinking about coming to stay with us. Please e-mail Chris Stevens at dedzapottery@africa-online.net if you would like to make contact with former guests.

October 2001 “We are safely back in grey and cold Norway ….we all had a wonderful time visiting Malawi . Special thanks to those members of staff who took such very good care of us and made our stay so enjoyable ! We managed to get our African pots with us on the plane…Benjamin had done a wonderful packing job so they made the journey in one piece…please say a big hello to everybody. We really did have AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME.”

May 2002 “ ..a belated thank you for the wonderful 2 weeks. It was indeed the best holiday I've ever had. Mixture of a beautiful country, kind warm people and great food. .I seriously want to come out again. Please give my warmest wishes to Harry……..”

July 2003 “My throwing improved considerably and my large box of pots survived and are very special to me, excellent packing! ….I want to thank you for what was essentially a life changing experience for me…….please convey my fondest regards to everyone at Nkhotakota Pottery.”

February 2004 “…our thanks for making our introduction to Africa such an enjoyable one. We both appreciated the warmth of the welcome we received and the friendliness of everyone we met.”

January 2005 - from a letter to Ceramic Review - “A skilled village potter with her baby strapped to her back, taught me how to make traditional African cooking pots….I also practised my throwing, experimented with hand building and used the wood fired, Raku and sawdust kilns – all this in the company of friendly chatty Malawians from nearby villages who work at the pottery…”

May 2007 – “Thanks to everyone at the pottery for such a wonderful time, I learnt lots about pottery and what a pleasure to have such friendly and patient teachers. Thanks also to Donald and the restaurant staff who coped so well with my sometimes unusual requests…..”

Visiting Dedza Pottery & Lodge, Nkhotakota Pottery & Lodge or Mzuzu Pottery Shop
- please see under info for full details.