Best known for bringing advanced Japanese shower toilet technology into the bathroom, TOTO has established itself as a leading manufacturer in the category. Yet, behind its signature WASHLET lies something altogether more fundamental: ceramic. Hotel Designs takes a closer look at the material, craftsmanship and precision behind its distinctive white form.
For all its associations with advanced bathroom technology, the WASHLET begins with clay – a simple, natural material shaped, refined and transformed by fire into something enduring. The ceramic bowl beneath is made from the same family of materials as everyday tableware, but engineered for a very different purpose. Through precision moulding, the organic, pebble-like silhouette takes shape, creating the distinctive white form beneath the WASHLET.
During the container shortages that followed the Covid-19 pandemic, these food-grade containers were not always available. In those cases, TOTO used standard containers lined with protective sheeting to create a clean internal environment and prevent impurities from coming into contact with the materials. This attention to detail helps safeguard the quality at every stage. The production process begins with more than 20 natural raw materials, including clay, feldspar and pottery stone. Combined with water and finely milled, these ingredients become a liquid clay, known as slurry, which is poured into moulds to create the bowl.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Hotel Designs.
