In a 1000-year tradition

Up till now Pakistan has not been very much in the sights of buyers as a sourcing region for the DIY and garden sector. Ad­mani Muneer is working hard to change that, and doing so with the confidence that comes from being part of a long tradition. He is the 52 year-old owner of Moonstar Admani Pottery, which he claims to be the biggest manufacturer of ceramics in Pakistan. Both his father and his grandfather were potters before him. The traditional manufacture of ceramics has been carried out for more than 1000 years in the south of Pakistan. Founded in 1969, the company is headquartered here in the region around Karachi, where it has its own clay pits. A workforce of some 350 produces two containers worth of goods every day – “all handmade, frost resistant and hard-fired”, as Admani Muneer stresses. Dispatch is organised from a covered warehouse that is 7 500 m² in size. Nothing other than natural clay, without any chemical or synthetic additives, is used for the terracotta products. In keeping with trends on the American and European markets, the manufacturer offers not only natural terracotta in his range but other products as well, such as terra white wash planters, various shades of brown, black or grey, plus painted planters. Moonstar Admani is able to deliver more than 1 800 different designs. Over and above this, the Pakistani company can also produce items in accordance with customers’ own special designs and sizes. The manufacturer markets this range right across the world. Noticeable at present is a particularly strong tendency towards terracotta in the United Kingdom, though these products are also in demand in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Denmark. Major garden centres and DIY retailers number among the company’s clientele. European manufacturers buy in goods from Pakistani producers as well. The company has turned to other raw materials in addition to clay, resulting in the development of its own line of fibre planters. Products made from wood are also part of the range now. The latest new launch is a planter made from used car tyres – utilizing old methods for treating leather. Even if company management is enthusiastic about the way it is taking into account the environmental thinking prevalent in its sales markets, where it is introducing new materials to serve the taste of customers there, Admani Muneer’s first love is the pottery tradition. “But still we believe that clay pots have their own attraction…