ABOUT TILE FES
Zellige from Fes, made the way Fes has always made it
Fes is the historic home of Moroccan zellige. For centuries its workshops have shaped the tilework of palaces, mosques, riads and fountains across the country, and the craft is still passed from master to apprentice inside the medina and its surrounding workshops. TILE FES was created to bring that work, unchanged, into contemporary homes and projects.
Made by maalem artisans
A maalem is a master craftsman, trained over years by working beside another master. The zellige we offer is made in Fes by artisans working in this tradition, not by machines and not in a factory line.
How a zellige tile is made
- Clay. Local clay is soaked, kneaded and shaped by hand into tiles, then left to dry in the sun.
- Glaze. Each tile is coated by hand with a coloured glaze.
- Kiln. The tiles are fired, which fixes the colour and gives the surface its deep shine.
- Hand chiselling. The artisan cuts every small piece by hand with a sharp hammer, then the pieces are assembled face down into the pattern.
Because every step is done by hand, no two tiles are identical. Small differences in tone, glaze and edge are part of the material and give a zellige wall its living depth.
Direct from the workshop
TILE FES is a small partnership run from Fes. We work directly with the workshops, so you deal with the people who know the pieces, and every order is made for you rather than taken from a warehouse. Prices include shipping.
For homes, architects and designers
Alongside our finished pieces (zellige tables, fountains and hand painted Fes sinks), we supply zellige tiles by the m² in 30 patterns and 48 colours. Architects, interior designers and homeowners can send us a plan or photo of their space and we will study the project with them and reply with a quote.
Questions: contact@tilefes.com