We were fortunate to be able to take a tour of the oldest tile factory in morocco, which is located in the city of Fes and is called the Art Naji. We were met by one of the workers who was happy to take us for a tour of the facility which has maintained the art of the ancient craft of pottery and mosaic (Zellige) since 1930.

This family run business is known for its amazing craftsmanship and has proved its artistic expertise in the field of pottery and mosaics. All the tiles and work is done completely by hand using ancient processes that makes the tiles unique. The workers were very proud and happy to show us the process and their work. 

One of the workers stopped and showed us how he makes the hand painted pottery which is completely made on site.

The work begins with clay that is located in a special area that is used to make the pots. This clay is apparently special and provides a quality product.

Art Naji is a 3rd generation family business and has been working on handicraft pottery and accessories for decades. It is also the biggest facility of handmade pottery in Morocco with over 4000 square meter space dedicated to a pottery studio for different workshops in Morocco. It was interesting to see how each small individual tile is handmade and cut individually. It is long and painstaking process which they take pride in doing.

There are rows of workers each making unique and special handmade tiles for different projects that are being made.

The small tiles are then constructed into larger designs making everything from tables, pots, fountains and even building tiles for  facades. We walked through the different areas of the factory looking at the many different processes being done.

Some workers have over 40 years working in the factory and are known as the most talented and professional tile makers in Morocco.

It is truly amazing to think that they have adapted to modern life and yet they have maintained the traditional tile making as a viable business. Fountains are made by inserting each small handmade tile into a mold system which is then used to create the fountain.

We saw some spectacular pieces of pottery and tile work. Everything was made with exact details and you could see the quality of the pieces. 

The tiles are specially made for different projects including the facade of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. They ship their tiles and products globally around the world. 

We truly enjoyed exploring and visiting this factory. It was a very unique and interesting tour. Their focus of handmade and quality tiles has survived over the generations in this world of mast production. It truly is a piece of art!

“السفر يجعلك متواضعا ، ترى ما هي القطعة الصغيرة التي تشغلها في العالم.”