The Irish Handmade Glass Company - Kite Design Studios

After the closure of the Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford City, a group of Master craftsmen, with a combined total of over 150 years experience in glass making, came together and made the decision to set up a glass making facility of their own in the very heart of Waterford City. Located in the Kite Design Studio, The Irish Handmade Glass Company aims to bring the craft of glass making to life for visitors to the historic Henrietta Street area in the Viking Quarter of Waterford City. They aspire to create beautiful, affordable glassware, both crystal clear and coloured, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but also practical to use. In these modern times the vast majority of glass making companies now use automation to produce their products. At The Irish Handmade Glass Company, all of their products have been hand made on their premises. Their glass is a non lead based crystal, ‘Crystalline’, which is melted from its pellet form in their purpose built furnace, which produces 175kg of glass per day. They welcome visitors to their studio to experience their craft and see first hand how glass is formed in the traditional way. Visitors are welcome to interact with the craftsmen while they work, and any questions are welcome.

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