Travel & ceramics
How to Ship Ceramics Home from Portugal (Without Breaking Them)
It happens to almost everyone who visits the Algarve: you walk into a ceramics shop, pick up a glazed plate, and suddenly you are imagining your whole table at home. Then comes the practical question — how do you get stoneware back to London, Berlin or Toronto in one piece?
You have two options: carry it in your luggage or have it shipped. Here is how to do both well, and what to expect at customs.
Option 1: Carry it in your luggage
For a couple of mugs or a few side plates, your suitcase works fine — as long as you pack with care.
- Put ceramics in your hand luggage when you can. Checked bags are thrown, stacked and dropped; your cabin bag is not.
- Wrap each piece individually. Soft clothes such as jumpers, scarves and socks are ideal. Fill mugs and bowls with socks so the inside supports the walls.
- Stack plates with a layer of clothing between each one, and never pack them loose.
- Keep ceramics in the centre of the case, surrounded by soft items on every side — never against the shell or the wheels.
- Check your airline’s weight limit. Stoneware is heavy: a dinner plate can weigh 600–900 g.
Option 2: Have it shipped
If you are buying a full table — say six dinner plates, six soup plates and a few bowls — shipping is the practical route. At The Corner Potter we ship worldwide with DHL Express.
- Shipping is calculated at checkout for your exact address, with the delivery options and estimated delivery date for your country.
- Every order is packed specifically for ceramics, with up to 12 pieces per box so each piece stays protected.
- You only pay for the pieces you want: everything is sold individually, so you can mix collections freely.
Customs and import taxes outside the EU
Within the European Union there are no customs formalities: prices include Portuguese VAT and that is it.
Outside the EU — for example in the United States, Canada or Switzerland — your country may charge import duties and taxes when the parcel arrives. These are set by your local authorities, are paid by the recipient, and are not included in our prices.
Shipping to the United Kingdom
For England, Scotland and Wales we accept orders where the value of the goods is more than £135 — shipping, insurance and packaging do not count towards that amount. The recipient pays UK import VAT and any clearance charges. Northern Ireland follows different rules, so please get in touch before ordering.
What if something arrives broken?
We pack carefully, but transport is transport. If a piece arrives damaged, photograph the box and the piece before throwing anything away and contact us as soon as possible. Your legal rights for items damaged in transit are not affected.
If you live in the EU you also have 14 days after delivery to change your mind and return pieces, as described in our delivery and returns policy.
The advantage of buying one piece at a time
Because we sell individually, a broken plate a year from now is not the end of your set. You can reorder exactly the piece you need, or add soup plates and matching mugs to the table you started on holiday.