Tradition and the region behind the Duravit

The tradition of the Duravit brand

Even a company that has set great precedents with its centuries of tradition once “started small”.

It all began in Hornberg, Germany in 1817 when Georg Friedrich Horn built an earthenware factory initially focused solely on the manufacture of crockery. In 1956, production evolved from earthenware to porcelain, extending the product range to include sanitary ceramics. This provided a platform for future success and also introduced the sanitary world to a new name: Duravit. Today, Duravit AG operates at an international level and boasts 11 production plants with a workforce of more than 7,000 employees worldwide.

The region behind the Duravit brand

One source of Duravit’s tremendous strength, which it continues to cultivate, is its deep connection to the Black Forest. This is why Duravit is, for example, a partner and sponsor of the Black Forest natural park, a large nature reserve that is also Germany’s largest natural park. Additionally, Duravit does everything possible to protect natural elements like water, air and soil – a process that starts with resource-saving manufacturing methods, which employ technologies such as water treatment and heat recovery. The logical continuation of this is manifested in the products themselves, which are water-saving.

Even with new products, Duravit takes into impact on the environment and ensures that, whatever it manufactures, it uses natural resources responsibly.

And these efforts have certainly been recognized: Duravit AG has officially been certified for its commitment to the environment in accordance with ISO 14001.

“Hand made” quality assurance

Even though we are living in an era of high-tech and automation, when it comes to products with such a high claim to design and function, quality still highly depends on human skill. Duravit continues to maintain a great deal of craftsmanship to ensure this high standard. This applies to the manufacturing of ceramic as well as to all other production areas at Duravit.

Design and sustainability. The brand Duravit.

The Duravit design brand

How do we actually recognize good design? After all, individual tastes can be so very different. Nevertheless, certain attributes serve as benchmarks and qualifiers for innovation.

First, Duravit has been the proud recipient of numerous international design awards. These awards celebrate bold design, which has become Duravit’s hallmark over the years. Second, there are the designers themselves. Each designer is a specialist in his field – a prominent global innovator with an inherent sense for good design. Good design, as Duravit and its designers see it, is never at the expense of practicality – neither is interested in “design for design’s sake”.

And third? That’s you, the bathroom user, and your own set of needs and requirements. Thanks to an ongoing dialogue with its trade partners and sanitary ware dealers, Duravit is best able to address these needs and requirements in the brand’s designs. Simply put, Duravit recognizes good bathroom design by the fact that it seems specially-created to suit all individual tastes.

Duravit and sustainability

Today, everyone’s talking about environmental responsibility – a practice that Duravit has championed for years in its selection of materials, technological applications and production methods. Sustainability is the very reason Duravit continues to work with sanitary ceramic, a material that dates back to 8,000 BC. Today, the manufacture of Duravit sanitary ware ceramic continues to employ the same basic materials – clay, kaolin, feldspar and quartz – a set of natural, regenerative sub- stances. This fusion of Duravit’s environmentally-friendly production technologies with the company’s meticulous quality control results in products that are highly functional and long-lasting.

At Duravit, sustainable materials, modern expertise and the foresight to recognize what will be important tomorrow comprise the essential ingredients for beautiful – and responsible – living bathrooms.

In Hornberg, in Meissen – in fact, anywhere in the world.

The international breadth of the Duravit Brand

Perhaps at a time when the world is getting smaller by the day, it may not be so unique to have production plants and showrooms around the globe. Nevertheless, we are more than excited to be able to welcome you to our showrooms in Manhattan, Paris or Shanghai.

On the other hand, you don’t actually have to be in a metropolis in order to step foot inside the Duravit world. The Duravit Design Center, located in Hornberg – at the heart of Germany’s Black Forest – offers a very authentic Duravit experience. Designed by Philippe Starck, the Duravit Design Center showcases bathrooms, building history and design options over an area of more than 16,000 sf.

Another option is to visit Duravit’s 6,458 sf showroom in Meissen, where you can find out everything you want to know about our bathroom and wellness products. Both showrooms have one thing in common: they offer you an opportunity to create your very own Duravit dream bathroom. And – you can even try out the products for yourself! Why not make an appointment?