The majority of the UK market is dominated by Indian porcelain paving slabs
Indian porcelain paving slabs are manufactured to globally recognised standards and are technically comparable to products from any major producing country. From a structural and dimensional perspective, Indian porcelain performs on par with European alternatives.
It is generally accepted within the industry that Italian porcelain leads in surface expression and trend-driven design. Indian porcelain, by contrast, focuses more on practicality and faithful replication of natural stone textures, sometimes with slightly less visual depth than Italian counterparts.
As India is one of the world’s largest natural stone producers, its understanding of stone cutting is long established. With infrared cutting technology now standardised globally, the cutting precision of Indian porcelain paving slabs is effectively equivalent to Italian porcelain slabs.
The manufacturing process for Indian porcelain paving slabs closely mirrors that used in Europe. High-pressure presses and advanced kilns—largely supplied by leading global equipment manufacturers—are widely adopted. As a result, major Indian factories operate with a high degree of automation and process consistency.
These investments ensure compliance with European CE standards and American ASTM standards, which are the benchmarks applied to outdoor porcelain paving worldwide.
Labour cost is the decisive factor behind India’s pricing advantage. With average factory labour costs around £1 per hour, Indian porcelain paving slabs naturally occupy a far more competitive position in the UK market.
In realistic retail terms, 20 mm outdoor Indian porcelain tiles in the UK should typically fall within a sensible mid-range price band. When significantly higher prices are presented, consumers should consider whether price is being used to imply an origin or prestige that may not reflect the actual source of manufacture.
Design influence from the UK natural stone market
The long-standing popularity of Indian sandstone in the UK has had a direct influence on porcelain design development in India. Indian stone merchants and porcelain manufacturers draw heavily from real-world UK paving preferences.
Designs such as Kandla Grey sandstone effect porcelain and Brazilian Black Slate Effect Porcelain are clear examples. These finishes consistently rank among the most popular choices in the UK market.
Indian designers are typically pragmatic rather than trend-led. While they may not define global design movements, they are highly effective at reproducing the visual character of natural stone that UK customers already trust and understand.
Major Indian porcelain manufacturers maintain close contact with the UK market. Each year, sales and design directors visit UK merchants and building material outlets to observe customer preferences and gather feedback, which is then fed directly back into factory production.
Factory scale and brand selection
At Paving Slabs UK, we supply porcelain paving from India’s largest Simola factory under the factory brand RioStone©. We deliberately avoid re-branded products from small-scale factories.
Smaller factories often operate with older or second-hand equipment, resulting in weaker control over pressure, firing temperature, slab thickness, and cutting precision. They also tend to offer fewer pattern variations, increasing the risk of visible repetition once installed.
By contrast, large factories typically provide up to 24 distinct face variations per design, offering a more natural appearance across larger paved areas.
Italian porcelain paving slabs
When considering Italian porcelain paving slabs, budget is the first practical consideration. Italian outdoor porcelain typically costs between 1.8 and 2.5 times more than Indian porcelain slabs.
This price difference is primarily driven by European labour costs and a strong focus on surface design, texture development, and aesthetic leadership.
Italy currently leads the world in the imitation of natural stone textures, setting global trends in garden tile design. The realism and refinement of Italian porcelain surfaces remain unmatched.
However, based on over 20 years of industry experience, Italian porcelain does not demonstrate a meaningful advantage in density, water absorption, or compressive strength when compared with porcelain tiles produced to standard elsewhere.
In essence, the premium paid for Italian porcelain is largely attributable to design, branding, and labour cost rather than fundamental performance.
For buyers who value distinctive aesthetics or take pride in specifying Italian-made materials, this premium may be justified. From a purely functional perspective, however, Italian outdoor porcelain offers no inherent technical superiority in resistance to frost, salts, chemicals, algae, or staining.
How to select outdoor porcelain tiles for patio gardens
Colour choice should align with the intended atmosphere of the space. Light colours enhance brightness and openness, while darker shades—particularly black—create a more formal and luxurious effect.
Tile size is equally important. In the UK, 900 x 600 remains the most widely adopted format, balancing visual scale with practical installation and manageable cutting waste.
Larger formats such as 1200 x 600 can deliver a bold appearance but require greater care during installation. Smaller sizes such as 600 x 600 are economical but less favoured by UK homeowners. Other formats may exist primarily to support higher retail margins.
Thickness is the final consideration. A 20 mm thickness remains the UK standard, offering a reliable balance of strength and cost. Thinner options can be viable where structural loads are not a concern, provided pricing reflects the reduced material and logistics costs.
Does a high retail price equate to good quality?
The answer is no. Higher prices do not automatically indicate better quality. Much of the historic perception of porcelain paving as a premium product was shaped by early market positioning rather than intrinsic material performance.
Today, direct importers and wholesalers increasingly supply retail customers, narrowing the price gap and offering better value without compromising quality.
Our sister company, Westone is the exclusive wholesaler for RioStone brand of India’s largest factory, allowing us to maintain competitive pricing while supplying consistently high-grade porcelain paving slabs.
How to verify the origin of the tiles you purchased
In the UK market, tiles advertised as Italian at unrealistically low prices should be treated with caution. From an industry perspective, it is not feasible to supply genuine Italian 20 mm porcelain at such price points.
All imported tiles are shipped on ISPM15-compliant wooden pallets. These pallets carry mandatory treatment and country-of-origin markings required by both exporting and UK customs authorities.
Pallets marked “IN” indicate India, “IT” Italy, “ES” Spain, and “CN” China. MB refers to Methyl Bromide treatment, while HT denotes Heat Treatment. India typically uses MB, while European countries generally adopt HT.
This remains the most reliable method for identifying origin, as false declarations would not pass customs inspection.
While repackaging is theoretically possible in split orders, full-pallet orders are unlikely to be dismantled and reassembled unnecessarily.
Following are India Fumigation ISPM15 Stamps
Following are Italian Fumigation ISPM15 Stamps
What is the quality of European outdoor porcelain tiles?
Outdoor porcelain tiles are not high-tech products. Their quality is governed by equipment, process control, and cost structure rather than geography alone.
Why aren't Chinese porcelain tiles available in the UK?
Despite China's dominant role in global ceramic production, EU anti-dumping measures introduced in 2011—and later adopted by the UK—have effectively removed Chinese porcelain tiles from the UK market.
This absence reflects trade policy rather than manufacturing capability.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general industry guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.
