Shaws Handcrafted Sinks
Shaws’ handcrafted fireclay sinks are renowned for their striking beauty, enduring quality, and peerless practicality. The painstaking process of their manufacture has been passed from master to apprentice for well over a century, and mass production has never been deemed a worthy substitute. The Original Collection showcases sinks for the traditional kitchen, providing a focal point for your space with plenty of charm and character to boot. Sinks in the Contemporary Collection, as the name suggests, will give your kitchen that modern flair you’re looking for, without sacrificing time-honoured craftsmanship. If it’s a standalone or secondary sink you require, the Inset & Undermount Collection has you covered. Shaws even offers a Professional range dedicated to commercial settings such as hotels, schools, and laboratories. The best sinks are complemented by a range of handy accessories, and Shaws delivers with its selection of drainers, sink protectors, and waste kits.
The Process
In a quiet corner of North West England, a crew of craftsmen is hard at work firing up kilns, pouring clay, and glazing sinks by hand before they are sent to bathrooms and kitchens all around the world. Handcrafted for life, Shaws of Darwen sinks are built to serve generation after generation. Every sink is an original design, and the tricks of the trade have barely changed since Shaws’ inception in 1897. Over a period of three to four weeks, each sink undergoes a rigorous and time-honoured process.
The journey begins with a technique known as slip-casting. The craftsman mixes locally sourced clay with water and pours it by hand into porous moulds. Once the sinks are dry, they are meticulously hand-finished through a process of sponging and fettling. Fettling a sink smooths out any imperfections, to ensure each one is as exquisite as the last. Once the craftsman is satisfied, they imprint their name on the base, adding a personal touch to every sink.
The sink is left out to dry for over 40 hours, before a coat of glaze is applied. A second layer of glaze is added to enhance the sink’s feel and finish. Double glazing also ensures every sink is crafted to withstand the test of time.
Finally, each sink is placed in a specially designed kiln for firing at temperatures of over 1200 degrees Celsius. The intense heat brings the entire process together, blazing the mould into a finished sink. This painstaking process—passed on from one craftsman to the next—produces sinks that last long enough to create their own history.
About Shaws of Darwen
Arthur Gerald Shaw founded Shaws of Darwen on Valentine’s Day in 1897. The date is fitting of the product, as these handcrafted fireclay sinks imbue any kitchen with romance. In the early years, a horse and cart would transport clay from the local coal mine to the Shaws factory in North West England. While you won’t see horses and carts ambling along those streets anymore, the Shaws factory is still situated on the same quiet corner that welcomed its opening. In fact, Shaws of Darwen is quite serious about maintaining its original techniques. Mass production has no place at company headquarters; Shaws sticks by its time-honoured handcrafting methods, spending three to four weeks on each sink. The finishing touch is imprinting the base of the sink with the name of the responsible craftsman.
The final products are artisan sinks built for endurance, made to resist odours, stains, high temperatures, and heavy impact. Arthur Gerald Shaw’s original vision was to make the finest handcrafted fireclay sinks in the whole of England. After maintaining a strong foothold in the English market, Shaws of Darwen widened its scope, and today the company’s sinks can be found gracing kitchens all around the world.