AMANO CERAMIC
Understanding the Amano Collection
Everything You Need to Know About Our Hand-Painted Ceramic Tiles
Understanding the Amano Collection
Inspired by the enduring beauty of ancient European interiors, the Amano Collection reinterprets the warmth and character of traditional decorative ceramics for contemporary living. Rather than recreating the past, Amano honours centuries of craftsmanship through original Tiles of Ezra designs that feel timeless, refined and distinctly modern.
Every tile in the Amano Collection is handcrafted by skilled artisans in Vietnam and finished with richly layered glazes that create subtle movement, depth and character. Designed for bathrooms, kitchens, fireplaces, feature walls and architectural spaces, Amano offers a versatile collection of decorative ceramics that celebrate individuality and enduring design.
Developed in collaboration with our artisan partners and refined through the Tiles of Ezra Standard, every hand-painted tile reflects our commitment to authentic craftsmanship, thoughtful design and exceptional quality.
What is the Tilesofezra Amano Collection
The Amano Collection is a range of hand-painted ceramic tiles, handcrafted using traditional ceramic techniques in Vietnam. Every tile is individually formed from natural clay, hand glazed, and carefully hand-painted by skilled artisans using original Tiles of Ezra designs.
Because every piece is made and decorated by hand, no two Amano tiles are ever exactly alike. These natural variations are not imperfections - they are the authentic expression of handcrafted ceramics, creating the warmth, depth and character that define the collection.
At Tiles of Ezra, we celebrate these inherent characteristics while continually refining our production methods and quality control processes to meet the Tiles of Ezra Standard. Rather than striving for machine-made uniformity, we believe the beauty of handmade ceramics lies in their individuality, ensuring every Amano installation feels rich in character, timeless and truly one of a kind.
Original Designs, Rooted In Traditions
The majority of designs within the Amano Collection are original Tiles of Ezra creations - hand-drawn in-house and brought to life by our artisan partners in Vietnam. These original patterns draw inspiration from the beauty of ancient European interiors while offering a pattern language that is entirely our own.
Alongside these original designs, the collection also includes a small number of traditional patterns, included to honour the historic decorative styles that first inspired the range. Together, they give Amano a collection that feels both genuinely unique to Tiles of Ezra and respectfully connected to the craft's origins.
How Our Amano Is Made
HOW ITS MADE
#1
Natural Clay
Every hand-painted ceramic tile in this collection begins with natural clay sourced from the earth. The clay is mixed with water to create a workable clay body, forming the foundation from which every handmade ceramic tile is shaped. As with any natural material, subtle differences in the clay itself contribute to the individual character each tile carries through to the finished piece.
#2
Pressed Into Moulds
Once prepared, the clay is hard-pressed into individual moulds by hand, giving each handmade tile its shape and structural form before the drying process begins. This hand-pressing stage ensures the clay is properly compacted.
#3
Natural Drying
Every tile is left to dry naturally rather than being rushed through artificial drying methods. This slower, more considered approach - typical of authentic handmade ceramic tile production - allows the clay body to stabilise gradually, reducing the risk of cracking or warping and preparing each tile for glazing.
#4
Hand Glazed
Each tile is glazed entirely by hand, with richly layered glazes applied to create the subtle movement, depth and tonal character that define genuine hand-painted ceramic tiles. Because this is done by hand rather than through automated spraying, every tile carries its own natural variation in glaze coverage and finish.
#5
Hand Painted
A second layer of hand-painting is then carefully applied by skilled artisans, bringing each original Tiles of Ezra design to life on the surface of the tile. This is a slow, meticulous process, with every stroke applied individually — meaning no two painted tiles will ever be rendered in exactly the same way, even within the same pattern.
#6
Kiln Fired
Once glazed and painted, every tile is fired in a Gas kiln at carefully controlled temperatures, permanently setting both the glaze and the hand-painted design into the ceramic. This process is what gives Amano tiles their durability, while also naturally contributing to the subtle tonal variation seen across the finished collection.
#7
Rested before Packaged
Every Amano tile is left to rest for 2 to 3 weeks following firing. This resting period allows any naturally occurring lime pops to reveal themselves over time, giving our team the opportunity to identify and address them before any tile is packed for dispatch.
#8
Two-Tier Quality Control
Before any tile leaves for dispatch, it passes through a two-tier quality check, with each stage assessing colour, glaze finish, print clarity and overall craftsmanship. This layered approach ensures every Amano tile that reaches our clients reflects the standard of quality and character the collection is known for.
Inside the Tiles of Ezra Standard
Every tile is carefully inspected to ensure it reflects the quality, authenticity and craftsmanship our clients expect. Rather than striving for machine-made uniformity, we honour traditional craftsmanship while continually refining our glazes, production methods and quality standards to deliver the finest handmade ceramics possible.
Every variation tells the story of the artisan who made it, while every original design reflects our commitment to creating timeless collections that honour the past while feeling entirely at home in contemporary interiors.
Multi-Stage Quality Control
Quality is checked at multiple stages throughout production...
not just once at the end. Tiles are first inspected as they come out of the kiln, checked again during sorting and grading, and reviewed a final time as they're packed into cartons ready for export. At each of these stages, tiles are assessed for colour consistency, surface quality, shape and overall grade, allowing any tile that falls outside the Tiles of Ezra Standard to be identified and removed before it ever leaves Morocco. This layered approach means quality isn't left to a single checkpoint — it's built into every step of the process, giving you far greater confidence and consistency in the tiles that reach your project.
Custom Design Development: Designed, Not Selected from a Catalogue
Every Amano design begins in-house, hand-drawn by our design team before being brought to life by our artisan partners. Rather than working from an existing catalogue of patterns, each design is developed and refined over multiple trials.
This same considered approach extends beyond the patterns themselves to the shapes we offer. Alongside our standard tiles, the collection includes custom-designed formats such as our border range, developed specifically to give designers and homeowners more ways to bring Amano's hand-painted character into a space.
Exclusive Manufacturing Partners
Rather than sourcing from multiple factories based on availability, we work exclusively with carefully selected artisan partners who share our commitment to craftsmanship, consistency and continual improvement. These long-standing relationships allow us to refine quality together, year after year.
Exclusive Designs
Many of our Amano Designs have been developed exclusively for Tiles of Ezra. Working alongside artisans we continue to create new layouts, formats and patterns that honour traditional craftsmanship while expanding the possibilities of authentic handpainted Ceramic
Lead Tested
Every Zellige collection undergoes independent lead testing to ensure it meets international standards, giving architects, designers and homeowners confidence when specifying our products.
Technical Support
Every collection is supported by comprehensive installation guides, technical documentation, care recommendations and educational resources, developed to help achieve the best possible outcome on site.
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