Boleslawiec has been a pottery town since the Middle Ages, when local clay deposits and plentiful firewood from the surrounding forests made stoneware production natural. Today the town has dozens of factories — ranging from large industrial operations to small family workshops — most of which have shop floors where you can buy directly.
The advantage of buying here rather than in Warsaw or abroad is significant: factory prices are often 30–50% lower than retail prices elsewhere. Most showrooms are a short walk from the town centre. The characteristic blue-and-white designs are the most recognisable, but many factories also produce coloured and decorative ranges. If you are taking pottery home as luggage, the factories are used to wrapping purchases for transport.