Most of the products sold here at largemugs.co.uk are ceramic.
Ceramics are by nature refractory (retains strength at high temperatures) non-metallic (not metal) and inorganic (lack carbon and hydrogen atoms)
The ceramics used in mug making are bone china, earthenware, porcelain and stoneware.
Bone china was created by Thomas Frye in London in 1748 using calcined animal bones to make bone ash the main material for the production of bone china.
Bone china mugs are usually thinner than other mugs they can be due to their superior strength and durability.
Earthenware is one of the oldest ceramics in use, it is also one of the cheapest and is not as strong as the other ceramics, and therefore it can chip easier than bone china, porcelain and stoneware.
Porcelain was first produced in China, porcelain is a very strong ceramic and makes a good material for mugs and other homewares.
Stoneware is another tough ceramic that is more opaque than porcelain, and bone china The high-quality Le Creuset mugs are stoneware.
The difference between these types of ceramics are the types of clay that are used and the temperatures they are baked at.
Typical Clay Mixes
Bone China
25% china stone, 25% kaolin, 50% Bone ash
Kiln fired at 1200 degrees Celsius
Earthenware
30% ball clay, 30% common surface clay, 30% fire clay, 10% silica
Kiln fired at 1100 degrees Celsius
Porcelain
25% ball clay, 25% feldspar, 25% Kaolin 25% silica
Kiln fired at 1300 degrees Celsius
Stoneware
20% ball clay, 10% feldspar, 60% fireclay, 10% silica
Kiln fired at 1300 degrees Celsius
Glass Mixes
Translucent mugs are made of borosilicate glass or soda lime glass.
Borosilicate is a very tough glass and is made up of 80% silicon dioxide, 13% boron trioxide, 4% sodium oxide, 2% aluminium oxide, and traces of iron oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide and chlorine.
Soda lime glass does not have the strength of Borosilicate but is still a sturdy, durable glass it is made up of 74% silicon dioxide, 13% sodium oxide, 10% calcium oxide, 1% aluminium oxide and traces of potassium oxide, sulfur trioxide, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, and titanium dioxide.