Lead in terracotta / clay item

Milton Suranjit Ratna
CORR - The Jute Works

Let's start discussing a new issue : Terracotta

Generally the ceramic crafts are glazed with lead contained lacquer or glaze. So, sometimes the clay crafts also (specially white clay crafts) use same chemicals. Difference between the two sector is : under 1600+ Celsius, the lead vaporized form the ceramic, but remains in the clay as the clay kiln uses comparatively lower temperature (600 to 1000 degree).

We at CJW, have tried long to raise the temperature up to 1200 degree to get rid of the lead substance, but clay-ware can't tolerate that heat. So, finally we have stopped using ceramic glaze in our crafts. Instead we are using our traditional & natural clay lacquer (tree and fruit extracts).

There is a good market of garden items and those waterproof pots. So, we need suggestion how to make our crafts fully water-resistant.