[Ad] Behind the scenes at Italian bathroom company Catalano

On a picturesque site surrounded by hazelnut trees, in the rural province of Viterbo to the north of Rome, lies Catalano’s factory. Here, the Italian company designs and makes minimalist bathroom products that combine function, craftsmanship and high technology. The look is refined and elegant – think smooth, soft edges, organic shaped basins, matte coloured sanitaryware and sleek details. Behind the scenes, it’s a story of precision and perfection – the simplicity quietly concealing the complexity that goes into the making process. For Catalano, ‘quality is everything’, from the best raw materials to the automatic robots that refine each product.

I love a factory tour and seeing what goes into the making of a design, so I was intrigued to see behind the scenes. I had no idea how much care, thought and technology goes into the making of a toilet or basin. They seem like such everyday objects, something we use without really thinking. But, here at Catalano, every detail has been finessed to create designs that not only look good and stand the test of time, but are sensitive to the environment and the resources we take from it too.

[Ad – this is a paid partnership with Catalano. Images of the factory: Cate St Hill, all other images: Catalano]

Catalano produce 500,000 pieces each year from one site, with a new piece going through the production line every two minutes. Ahead of the curve, they started investing in high tech robotics over 20 years ago, to ensure their production was efficient and clean. Products are still checked and in places finished by hand, but robots now remove dust and apply glaze, making for a safer environment for workers. Any waste material is also recycled on site; discarded clay and rejected basins are made into tiles, while waste water is reclaimed and used again.

The process starts with the raw materials – kaolin and clay – which are checked and mixed together on site. Catalano have created their own resin moulds to form their basins, bowls, toilets and bidets. After the forms are cast, there’s a complex process of polishing, smoothing and buffing. It takes seven phases of brushing to ensure perfectly smooth edges and flat back plates that will sit flush with a wall. Catalano even have x-ray machines, like you have at a hospital, to check for any hairline cracks that might compromise the design.

After the pieces have been brushed and dried for twelve hours, it’s onto the glazing phase. The glaze is applied by five robots before the products are fired in a huge, energy efficient kiln set at 1,250 degrees. It takes 24 hours for a design to pass through the kiln, before coming out pristine and ready to be checked by the human hand.

Catalano have two types of specialised glaze. Cataglaze was developed in the Catalano laboratory and uses a mix of silver and titanium ions to create a surface that has antimicrobial properties and is more resistant to limescale (happy news for those in the UK with hard water!). For coloured WCs, this treatment is combined with Twinglaze technology to give a satin finish on the outside and a glossy finish on the inside, ensuring the best hygiene standards.

Catalano toilets also help save water – a standard toilet uses 9l per flush, but a Catalano toilet uses just 4.5l. This is thanks to Silentech technology, which is considered the quietest on the market. Not only does it offer less noise, a optimised vortex flow of water creates a powerful flush that allows for less water consumption and an easier surface to clean. There’s no perimeter rim either, where germs and bacteria tend to gather.

Catalano have six collections in their range. I’ve written about their beautiful Tonalità collection before. Available in eight satin shades inspired by nature, the designs balance clean, minimal lines with refined, fluid shapes to give an organic quality. Sabbia and Lino are my two favourites – they are both neutral and timeless, offering the perfect alternative to a brighter pure white, without having to embrace colour completely. Sabbia is a pale, warm taupe that pairs well with wood and patinated brass, while Lino is an off white that appears soft and organic.

Catalano’s Sfera collection is their bestseller. Inspired by Mediterranean design, the collection features simple designs with soft, smooth edges, including oval and circular basins in wall-hung, under-counter and countertop models. They will soon be adding furniture to the range too. The below images are the perfect inspiration for a calm, neutral Japandi style bathroom, don’t you think?

The penultimate image is from the Green collection.