A Brand's Guide to Ceramic Finishes

Choosing the right ceramic finish for your product line is more than a design choice—it's a business decision that impacts everything from brand perception to your bottom line.

Pick the wrong one, and you risk costly returns from chipped designs or a product that fails to stand out. Pick the right one, and you create a bestseller known for its quality and beauty.
 

So, where do you start?

This guide eliminates the guesswork. We will go beyond simple definitions of Underglaze, Overglaze, and Colored Glaze to give you a clear, commercial framework for making the right decision.

Drawing on three generations of ceramic mastery, JOYYE provides the expert insights you need to choose with confidence.
 

What is Underglaze? The Champion of Durability

The Process: Painting on the ‘Bisque’

Underglaze is a technique where designs are applied to pottery before the final clear glaze is put on.

Think of it as painting on a blank canvas.

The process is meticulous. First, the clay piece is fired at a low temperature, turning it into a hard, porous state called 'bisque'. Artists then paint their designs directly onto this surface. Once the design is complete, a transparent glaze is applied over everything before the piece goes into the kiln for a final, high-temperature firing.
 

This last step is where the magic happens. The clear glaze melts into a hard, glass-like layer, permanently sealing the design beneath.
 

The color is locked under a protective shield. Literally.
 

Key Characteristics & Benefits for Brands

This creates three powerful benefits for any brand:

• ​Unmatched Durability. The design is protected under a tough layer of glaze. It will never wear off, fade, or scratch. This is its single biggest advantage, making products completely safe for microwaves and dishwashers.

• ​Absolute Food Safety. That protective glaze creates a perfect barrier between the pigments and the food.

• ​A Subtle, Integrated Look. Underglaze colors are typically softer after firing. The design becomes part of the piece itself, creating a smooth, classic finish.
 

This technique is the top choice for any product where durability is critical. Think about the heavy daily use of plates and mugs in hotels and restaurants. For home goods brands that want to build a reputation for long-lasting quality, underglaze is the perfect fit. While the color range might be slightly more limited than other methods, its long-term value and extremely low rate of wear make it a highly cost-effective and reliable choice for high-frequency use products.
 

What is Overglaze? The Master of Vibrancy and Detail

The Process: Decorating on a Glazed Surface

Overglaze, as the name suggests, involves decorating a ceramic piece after it has already been coated with a glaze and fired.

The artist works on a finished, smooth glazed surface, often using ceramic decals or by hand-painting with special enamels.

Once the design is in place, the piece is fired again in a kiln at a much lower temperature. This gentle firing is just hot enough to fuse the design onto the surface of the glaze, making it permanent. Because the colors don't need to survive a high-temperature firing, a much wider and brighter range of colors is possible.
 

Key Characteristics & Benefits for Brands

• ​Vibrant & Extensive Color Palette. This is where overglaze truly shines. It can produce incredibly bright, bold colors and, crucially, is the only method that can reliably achieve metallic finishes like gold and platinum.

• ​Fine, Precise Details. Because the design is applied to a stable surface, it's possible to achieve razor-sharp lines and highly intricate patterns. This makes it perfect for reproducing detailed logos or complex illustrations.

• ​Tactile Sensation. The overglaze design sits on top of the glaze. This creates a slightly raised texture, which can add a unique, premium feel to a product.
 

Overglaze is the go-to choice for high-end decorative items, luxury gifts, and commemorative plates. If your brand needs to perfectly match a specific Pantone color, this is your technique.

The trade-off, however, is durability. Because the design is on the surface, it is more susceptible to wear. This makes it ideal for special-occasion items where visual impact is more important than rugged durability.
 

The Rise of Colored Glaze: Where Art Meets Chemistry

Beyond Painting: The Magic of Reactive Glazes

Unlike the other techniques, a colored glaze isn't about painting a design.

Instead, the artistry happens through chemistry inside the kiln.

A colored glaze has various metal oxides added to its recipe. When fired at high temperatures, these oxides react, creating stunning, often unpredictable, colors and patterns. JOYYE specializes in a particularly beautiful type known as a Reactive Glaze, which encourages the glaze to flow and pool during firing.
 

This results in deep, complex textures that can look like marble, galaxies, or peacock feathers.

Because the reactions are never exactly the same twice, each finished piece is a truly one-of-a-kind work of art. The unique beauty of these glazes comes directly from the dynamic and sometimes unpredictable interactions of the glaze chemicals during firing, which artists and technicians learn to guide.
 

Key Characteristics & Benefits for Brands

• ​Unique, One-of-a-Kind Finish. No two pieces are ever identical. This offers customers a sense of owning something truly special.

• ​Deep, Rich Textures. Reactive glazes create a visual depth that painting cannot replicate, making the product feel more luxurious.

• ​High Artistic Value. The finished product is not just a piece of dinnerware; it's a piece of art. This can significantly elevate a brand's perceived value.
 

This technique is highly sought after by designer labels and boutique hotels. A stunning reactive glaze product is incredibly photogenic, making it a natural fit for social media to help brands create "viral" moments. While you can't request an exact pattern, this "controlled randomness" is precisely what makes the product line so compelling and difficult to imitate.
 

Underglaze vs. Overglaze vs. Colored Glaze: A Side-by-Side Comparison

To help you quickly decide, here is a simple table summarizing the key differences across the most important commercial factors.
 

How to Choose the Right Finish for Your Brand's Product Line

Now, you can make a strategic choice based on your brand's specific goals. The right finish isn't a technical detail; it’s a core part of your product's story.

• ​For Maximum Durability and Safety, choose underglaze. Its resilience is perfect for the hospitality industry or a brand built on everyday quality.

• ​For Intricate Designs and Luxury Appeal, use overglaze. It provides the precision and vibrant color palette you need for logos and high-end giftware.

• ​For Unique Artistic Statements, select reactive colored glazes. They create one-of-a-kind products that tell a story of artistry and exclusivity.
 

The JOYYE Partnership Advantage: Often, the most successful product line uses a combination of these techniques. This is the value of working with an expert partner. At JOYYE, we don't just master these techniques; we help you build a cohesive product strategy based on your brand, market, and budget.

Wondering how to bring a complex idea to life? Contact our expert team to start your creative journey.
 

Conclusion

The journey from a simple ceramic body to a finished product is defined by one crucial choice: the finish.

As we've seen, this is not a technical footnote—it is your brand's story told in color, texture, and durability. Underglaze builds trust through quality that lasts. Overglaze captures attention with brilliant detail. And reactive glazes create desire through one-of-a-kind artistry.
 

What story will your next product tell?

Your vision, combined with the right craft, can create something truly iconic. Explore the possibilities and let us help you make that vision a reality.
 

About the Author

Emily is a Product Development Specialist at JOYYE, a leading ceramic manufacturer with a heritage of three generations. With over 15 years of experience in ceramic craftsmanship and international safety standards, She is dedicated to creating products that blend timeless aesthetics with uncompromising safety for families and businesses worldwide.