Sustainability

Responsibility begins with the manufacturing process

Nymphenburg porcelain is crafted at our manufactory in Munich – entirely by hand and with a commitment to creating items of lasting value.

For us, responsible manufacturing means using resources conscientiously, keeping materials in circulation as far as possible, saving energy wherever our manufacturing process allows, and preserving craftsmanship across generations.

Hydropower as part of our manufactory

The manufactory’s location on the Nymphenburg Palace Canal has been part of our history for centuries – and remains part of our production to this day.

The power of water drives our body mill, where the raw materials for our porcelain body are processed. The potter’s wheels used by our porcelain potters and the goods lift in the painting workshop are also powered by hydropower.

In this way, we utilise a source of energy that has been directly linked to our location and our craft for generations.

Reusing porcelain body

The manufacture of porcelain demands the utmost precision. Not every moulded piece meets our quality standards.

However, as long as the porcelain body has not yet been fired, we do not regard it as waste: defective or unused unfired pieces are reprocessed by our body miller and reintroduced into the porcelain production process.

In this way, we keep part of our most important raw material directly within our own production cycle.

Raw materials from Europe

We produce our porcelain body in-house at the manufactory. We source the essential mineral raw materials – feldspar, kaolin and quartz – from Europe.

In our own body mill, they are processed according to the manufactory’s recipes and prepared for further production.

Conscious and efficient firing

Firing is one of the most energy-intensive stages of porcelain production. Our kilns are gas-fired and are insulated to modern technical standards and designed for efficient operation.

The way we organise our production also helps to concentrate our energy use: we do not fire our kilns several times a day, but carry out a maximum of one firing per day.

For us, traditional craftsmanship does not mean foregoing technical progress. We preserve our time-honoured manufacturing processes and combine them with modern technology wherever it makes sense to do so.

Made to last

Nymphenburg porcelain is not created for just one season. Many of our shapes and designs have been in production for generations. The knowledge of how to make them is passed down from generation to generation in our workshops.

Preserving traditional forms, crafting by hand and the ability to add to existing sets over long periods of time are all part of our understanding of quality.

After all, an object that is cherished, used and passed down over many years and generations does not need to be constantly reproduced and replaced.

Preserve. Reuse. Pass on.

For us, sustainability is not a single step in the process. It is reflected in many decisions within our manufactory: in the use of hydropower, the recycling of unfired porcelain clay, the European origin of our key mineral raw materials, efficient firing techniques and, above all, in our commitment to creating porcelain of lasting value.

In Munich since 1747.