Welcome to Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle
We are a 3 generations family business that started in 1965 by Tan Kim Seh (my grandpa). We begin off as a cottage industry with a traditional wood kiln (aka dragon kiln) and later establish ourselves as a major exporter & importer of pottery wares!
Many say that we are the pottery paradise! & we do not deny that we have a crazy amount of pottery wares and hidden gems for you to explore!
What We Do
We fire up our family kiln aka Singapore's oldest surviving dragon kiln 2-3 times a year.
In June 2020, Thow Kwang Dragon Kiln received National Heritage Board's "The Stewards of Singapore’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Award"
We offer wide range of pottery wares (table wares, stools, lamps, vases, outdoor pots, many more) & vintage furnitures.
What you see in our online store is just 1/10 of what we have! (Really!) Visit our physical shop to explore more hidden gems.
We create / customise handmade crafts for cafes, restaurants, hotel, gifts, feng shui purposes and more!
Don't be shy to email us :)
We conduct hands-on pottery workshops for schools, public, community centre and corporates team bonding!
We also conduct historical dragon kiln tour for schools, international organisations, corporates and tour groups.
The Tan Family
Tan Kim Seh
Founder & Happy man of
Thow Kwang Industry Pte Ltd &
Thow Kwang Dragon Kiln
Born in Feng Xi (枫溪) also known as 100 kilns village (百窑村) in China, Mr Tan was a 3rd generation potter. Under the influence of the environment, he assisted his grandfather and father with the pottery business to sustain a living.
In 1937, he then moved to Malaysia peninsular to work for his uncle in his pipe factory.
Years later, he then settled down in Singapore and bought the dragon kiln, that was built in 1940 by migrants from Chaozhou(潮州).
2nd Gen
The builders behind Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle.
Growing up in a pottery factory, they were influenced and exposed to various pottery wares since young
Pottery wares were highly in demand in the past, hence each of them had a part to play in the pottery factory. Despite their roles as a student, they had to juggled between their academic work and their duties in Thow Kwang.
Seeing the hard work and effort their parents put in the factory, they continued their legacy to this present day.
Yulianti Tan
Woman behind Mr Tan
(eldest son aka boss of Thow Kwang)
Mrs. Tan started Thow Kwang workshops in 2000. With her intention to educate more on the importance of preserving the heritage of dragon kiln, she also advocates the appreciation of ceramics through hands-on workshops.
Back in 2001, she and Thow Kwang Clay Artists awakened the sleeping Dragon Kiln! Being a passionate lover of wood firing, you will see sparks in her eyes when she introduces the dragon kiln and her wood-fired work!
She is also a Ikebana artists who makes her own vases!
Family Kiln
Our root Our heritage
"The longyao itself is a living fossil. It records the generations this art has been passed on to, even as Singapore, a young country, has developed," Mr Tan said.
We hope to continue promote the skill of pottery making, knowledge of dragon kiln and process of wood firing to more generations through hands on workshop and tours.
Thow Kwang Clay Artists
A group of potters who come by Thow Kwang studio almost every weekend, sometimes weekdays to work on their crafts.
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We create
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We eat
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We awake the "dragon"
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We pool information and resources on glazing and art of wood-firing
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We share experiences and thought processes
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We have fun
