From Humble Beginnings
Clay Café is a family-run business that was founded in 1999. This establishment is an offshoot of the original, Chasms Ceramics – supplier of hand painted African style ceramics to curio shops.
We believe that the best changes come from the most unexpected and so the old hill-top dairy became the first official home of the original Clay Café.
Our Story
Our story starts in the early 2000’s, a small pottery studio operating from an old dairy farm at the top of a hill. Over a few years our 5 tables turned into hundreds of clients and our tiny side business became our full focus. We now have over 200 staff and have expanded into 8 stores nationwide in the last 3 years.
As the demand grew so did we. In 2016 we moved the flagship store to it’s forever home, a 2,5-acre farm in Hout Bay where we host up to 700 clients a day, open 7 days a week.
The Clay Café family business is unique concept that is much more than just ceramic painting. It brings families together to creates memories that last a lifetime.
As a customer-centric business we focus our interactions on client engagement and personalised experiences to bring the best of our product to you. We provide something for everyone, all manufactured in-house by us in Cape Town
Proudly Made in Cape Town
We have expanded from a 600m2 space to a 2000m2 factory in Parden Eiland, Cape Town where all our ceramic manufacturing is produced in-house.
Clay Café now employs over 60 trained staff and artisans that assist in providing the current styles and forecasts to ensure we remain relatable and on trend, both locally and internationally.
Empowering Our Staff
Our key focus is our ability to empower and upskill our staff through training of new creative skills and techniques. Our aim is to grow in a way that is both empowering and sustainable. We constantly offer motivation and support to all members of the team and ensure we continuously invest in our Clay Café family. Their well-being and skill is important to us. Clay Café would not be what it is without our team.
Uplifting the Community
Paint & Donate
We have hand-picked a few local communities here in Cape Town that we choose to donate to on an on-going basis. We believe wholeheartedly in their mission and look forward to many more years together. Donating to your community is an opportunity for one to grow as a person, to better understand how you fit into the world around you and to enrich the lives of other. Funds donated go towards maintaining select in-house programs and upliftment initiatives.
Let Love Grow: Paint & Donate – Bringing Creativity to Life
Here at Clay Café, we’re all about art that makes a difference. Our “Paint & Donate” program is a heart-warming initiative that combines your artistic flair with a touch of compassion. Get ready to embark on a creative journey that leaves a lasting impact. See below for more information on each charity and how you can be involved.
Low Carbon Footprint
In 2019 we were awarded the trophy for Excellence in Environmental Sustainability in South Africa. Our flagship store has 180 solar panels and we can fire a kiln completely off sunshine. Our cafe is fully functional during load shedding and don’t rely on the city for power. Our water filtration system was installed in 2018, allowing us to filter well and river water for restaurant use. Our three 10 000L jojo tanks help us with extra water for painting and our kiddies stream. The veggie garden set up supplies us with herbs used in our everyday dishes. We only support local farmers and provide our clients with the best quality ingredients available. Our team is motivated by sustainable methods of manufacturing and glazing. We produce our own clay, shapes and paints in-house here in Cape Town to ensure a low carbon footprint. Clay Café is 2nd largest pottery manufacturer in South Africa, producing roughly 72 000 items per month. We continue to strive towards excellence in sustainability in all our eco-friendly venues around the country.
Growing Clay Café has allowed us to expand and focus on spaces that are sustainable and allow for individuals from all walks of life to come together in a space that means the most to us.
Wall of Clay
Famous people that have given their stamp of approval to Clay Café … will you be next?
