The short answer. A handmade stoneware mug made in the Philippines usually costs between ₱600 and ₱1,000. Pieces by a named studio or ceramic artist can reach ₱2,000 and more. A printed ceramic mug from a gift shop, by comparison, is usually ₱130 to ₱300.
What the range looks like
In the first week of November 2026, handmade stoneware mugs on Philippine shops and marketplaces were listed from about ₱600 to ₱800, with some at ₱2,000. Printed ceramic mugs from souvenir and gift shops were listed at ₱129 to ₱298. Prices move, but the spread has held for some time.
What the price pays for
The clay and the fire. Stoneware is fired to around 1,200°C or above, until the body vitrifies and stops taking in water. A kiln at that heat burns for hours, and most pieces go through it twice: once to harden the clay, once to melt the glaze.
The hands. A mug is thrown on the wheel, left to firm, trimmed at the foot, given a handle pulled and joined by hand, dried slowly so it does not crack, then glazed. Each step is one person and one piece at a time.
The losses. Some pieces warp, crack or take the glaze badly in the kiln. They are set aside. The ones that come out whole carry the cost of the ones that did not.
The batch. A studio makes dozens, not thousands. There is no saving from scale.
You are paying for time, heat and a person's judgement.
How to judge a mug at any price
Hold it before you look at it. The weight should sit low, and the handle should take your fingers without pinching. Run a thumb around the rim: it should be smooth and even. Turn it over. The foot is left bare so it does not fuse to the kiln shelf, and it should be clean and sanded so it will not scratch a table. Look inside: the glaze should cover the whole interior. More on this in What to Look For in a Mug.
Where AWIS sits
The AWIS house line is high fired stoneware, thrown and glazed by hand in the Philippines, in five glazes: Rust, Sand, Charcoal, Bamboo and Azure. This week: Juan ₱650, Briseo from ₱700, Duke ₱800, Anton ₱850, Amado ₱850, Floresca ₱900. Plates, bowls and the pieces by guest artists are on enquiry.
See the pieces, or the gifts by budget.