By Narinder Maheshwari | Pakistan Export Business | Handmade Clay Products
Introduction
Pakistans Best Kept Secret Handmade Clay Pots
When people think of things Pakistan sells they usually think of clothes or rice.. There is a small industry in Karachi that makes handmade clay pots and terracotta coolers and sends them to the UK, UAE and all over Europe. And people keep buying from them.
In this blog we will show you how a pottery business in Karachi, Pakistan works. Skilled workers, called potters make every piece by hand. From clay to a container going to the UK or Middle East we will tell you everything, about this business how they find buyers and how you can work with them too.
What Products Are Being Exported?
The factory makes a lot of handmade clay products and they are all made to order. The main products that the factory exports are:
- Clay Coolers. These come in sizes and designs and people really want to buy them especially in the Middle East like the UAE and also in Europe and the UK.
- Decorative Clay Pots. These pots come in all sizes from small to really big. People in the UK and Europe love to buy them.
- Colored Pots. Sometimes buyers send the factory their own special designs and colors and the factory makes them exactly like that.
- Plain and Natural Finish Pots. Some products are shipped just like they are without any colors and people who like organic home décor really like these.
The main places that the factory sends its products to are the United Kingdom, the UAE in the Middle East and Europe. The factory exports clay products to these places because that is where the clay products are wanted the most. The clay products that the factory makes are really popular, in these places. The factory sends a lot of them there.
The Art of Handmade Pottery Crafted by Pakistani Potters
One thing that really stands out about this business is how they make their products. They do not use machines to make lots of items. Instead every single piece of pottery is made by hand by potters who learned this skill from their families.
Why Handmade Pottery Is Better
People around the world like to buy handmade pottery because:
- Every piece of pottery is one of a kind and has its own special character that you cannot find in machine-made items
- Handmade pottery from Karachi is very strong and lasts a long time, which is not always the case with machine-made pottery
- The way they fire the pottery in a hot kiln makes it very sturdy
- Handmade pottery has a special cultural value that people in Europe and the UK are happy to pay for
The Production Process Step by Step
Step 1. Shaping by Hand
The potters make every single item, like coolers and pots by hand. They are so good at it that people often think the items are made by machines when they see them for the time.
Step 2. Sun Drying
After the items are shaped they are left outside to dry in the sun. This helps to get rid of moisture in the clay, which is necessary before they can be fired in the kiln.
Step 3. Kiln Firing
The items are then put into a hot kiln where they are baked at high temperatures. This makes them much stronger and more durable.
Step 4. Quality Check & Design Application
The potters check every item to make sure it is quality. If someone has asked for a color or design it is added at this stage.
Step 5. Expert Packing for Export
This is the part where you can really see the expertise of the potters. It is not easy to send handmade pottery from Karachi to the UK without it getting broken. The potters pack items in strong boxes and bigger items on wooden pallets so they can survive the long journey, by sea.
The Two Container Export Order A Real Case Study
This video and blog are about an export operation where two big containers were being prepared at the same time.
Container 1 is for a buyer in the UAE. This buyer has been doing business with us for a time. They tell us what they want. The size, the design, the type of items. And the factory makes it that way. Because we have worked with them before it is easy to talk to them. We know what kind of quality they expect from us.
Container 2 is for a buyer in the UK. This buyer is a person who lives in the UK. More and more Pakistani people who live in countries are starting their own import businesses.
This is how we worked with the UK buyer:
- We talked to each other for a time. We sent pictures, samples and discussed the products.
- The buyer paid fifty percent of the money before we started making the products.
- When the products are ready and packed we will send all the export papers to the buyer online. This includes the Bill of Lading.
- After the buyer checks the papers they will pay the rest of the money.
- The goods will travel from Karachi Port to a port, in the UK. The buyer will take care of customs. Send the goods to where they need to go.
We use a payment method. Fifty percent of the money before we start and fifty percent when we send the papers. This way both the exporter and the importer are protected. It is an trusted way of doing business internationally. The export order is a Two-Container Export Order. It is a real case study.
How Buyers Are Found 3 Key Sources for Export Orders
One of the important things we learned is how this export business finds its buyers from other countries. There are three ways they do this.
The export business finds its buyers in the following ways:
Source 1. Business Website
Most buyers, than 90 percent find this business through its website. This is really important: for an export business the website is like a store that people around the world can see.
Some important things to remember are:
- The website needs to look professional. This is necessary for the export business to be successful.
- Just making a website is not enough. It needs to be updated. Made better all the time so that people can find it when they search online.
- A lot of businesses make a website. Then forget about it.. To make a website work you need to keep putting new things on it and make sure it can be found by search engines.
Source 2. Paid Digital Advertising
The second way is by paying for ads on the internet. This helps the business reach buyers in countries who might not find the website on their own.
Source 3. Referrals from Existing Buyers
The third way is when happy customers tell people about the business. Actually this export business started because someone who bought something from them suggested they should sell handmade pottery.. That is exactly what they did.
This shows how important it is to have a reputation when you are exporting things. When export buyers trust you they will tell people about you.. Once you have built that trust it will just keep growing. Export buyers are the key, to the export business and the export business needs export buyers to be successful.
Why Overseas Pakistanis Are a Big Deal
The UK buyer here is a living abroad. And thats not unusual. Many Pakistanis living abroad are working with this exporter to sell Pakistani products in the UK, Europe, North America and other places.
This is a chance because Pakistanis abroad:
- Know where the products come from and what they mean to Pakistan
- Have built connections in the countries where they live
- Can manage selling and customer service locally
- Trust exporters who are open, professional and reliable with their business
They understand the value of products and can help sell them. Pakistanis abroad can make a difference, for Pakistani exporters. They know how to navigate markets. Many of them have experience working with businesses before. They can help exporters reach customers.
Pricing Philosophy Competitive and Sustainable
The exporter wants to keep the profit margins on these products. The idea is to set a price for the goods that allows the overseas buyer or importer to sell them easily in their market and make a good profit for themselves.
This way of pricing is important for the term. It helps get orders from the same buyers and also gets us new buyers. When the overseas buyer or importer does well because of our pricing they place orders, with us again. And they tell other buyers about us.
What documents do you need to export clay pottery from Pakistan
To export things from Pakistan you need to have some papers.
The main papers you will need are
- Commercial Invoice. This has details about the things you are selling how many you have and how much they cost
- Packing List. This is a list of everything you have packed
- Bill of Lading. The shipping company gives you this it is an important paper that says who owns the things
- Certificate of Origin. This paper says that your things were made in Pakistan
- Phytosanitary or Quality Certificate. You might need this if the country you are sending your things to wants it.
You can find a lot information, about what papers you need to export things from Pakistan.
It is an idea to read this if you want to start sending things from Pakistan.
Want to work Here is how to get started
If you are a living in another country and you want to bring in and sell things that are made by hand in Pakistan or if you are a buyer from another country who likes clay pots from Pakistan we are open to working with you.
It is easy to do:
- Make contact with us through our website or by sending an email
- Tell us what kind of products you want, what you like and how many you want to buy
- We will send you a price and information about the samples
- We will agree on the details. Usually we ask for half the money first and half when we send you the papers
- We will start making your products and you will get updates all the time
- We will put your products in a container and send it to you and we will send you the papers online
- You will pay the rest of the money and you will get your products at your end
This is a simple and honest way of doing business that has worked well with buyers in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and other places in Europe. We have worked with buyers in the UK, the UAE and, across Europe. It has always gone smoothly.
Pakistans Handmade Pottery Is a Big Chance
Handmade pottery from Karachi Pakistan is a good opportunity for people who want to sell things for the home, lifestyle and products that are good for the earth. The people who make these things are very skilled the prices are good. The way they make them is very traditional. It is also easy to send these things to countries.
The people in the UK and UAE really want to buy these things. They are buying more and more. They like the pottery much that they are coming back to buy again. New people from countries who are originally from Pakistan are also starting to work with the pottery makers. The pottery is made completely by hand put in an oven to make it strong and packed very carefully so it does not break. This means that the pottery is as good as what you can find in countries.
If you are someone who buys things to sell or if you are, from Pakistan and live in another country you should really think about selling Pakistani clay pottery. It is a good chance to find a new product to sell. Handmade Pakistani clay pottery is something that you should pay attention to.
