Pottery is a messy business. Even if it is only a hobby, if you spend a few hours a week sitting down at a pottery wheel or a glazing table, you will run out of old T-shirts and jeans to wear really quickly.
Clay can get all over you, your clothes, your equipment, and everything you touch. Of course, if you are only a casual hobbyist with a few old T-shirts to lose, it is not a big deal when clay and glaze stain your clothes.
However, when you are serious about pottery, you should also invest in a quality pottery apron to protect your clothes from the mess.
The best pottery apron not only gets you to the right frame of mind to create it can also be quite useful in assisting you with your creative process. When you put on a pottery apron, you should feel empowered enough to get down to your next project.
An apron provides more than just protection from glaze splatters and clay slurry; many pottery aprons even have deep pockets to hold your paint brushes and tools for easy access when you work.
So what makes the best pottery apron the best? The best pottery apron is comfortable to wear, has multiple useful pockets for different tools, and is made of heavy-duty, heat-resistant materials. It’s a good idea to find one that is easy to wash as well.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through picking the right pottery apron for your needs. We’ll also review some of the best aprons out there so you can narrow down your search.
What Should You Look For in a Pottery Apron?
First of all, you should gauge how comfortable it is.
Since you will be sitting down at a pottery wheel for the majority of the time, you will need to be able to sit comfortably in your pottery apron. We find that a split-leg apron can be quite comfortable – they protect your pants while still allowing you to sit at the pottery wheel.
Second of all, determine whether the pockets will allow you easy access to your tools. When sitting at the wheel, you will need access to your trimming and cleaning up tools. When glazing, you will need your paint brushes. Having several pockets that can hold tools of different sizes, and securely, can be quite handy when you are deep in your creative process.
If you regularly work at the kiln, where it takes very high heat to turn clay into ceramics, you will probably want a heat-resistant apron as well. Although this feature is not a must, having a heat-resistant apron will help you feel more comfortable when working with high heat and protect your clothes from any damages.
Finally, how easy it is to clean. We all know that clay and glaze can stain your clothes, and you can often get big chunks of glaze stuck on the apron. You will need to wash the apron quite often, so the fabric will need to be relatively durable and easy to care for.
We find that canvas (waxed or non-waxed) is the most common material for pottery aprons since it is quite thick and durable and provides adequate protection for your clothing.
A canvas that is made of cotton or cotton blend is also quite easy to wash; you can simply machine wash it at a low temperature to get rid of any stain.
Keep in mind that you should rinse any big chunk of clay off of the apron before washing it, and dispose of the clumps separately to avoid clogging your drain. You should also wash these items separately from your other clothes so that you won’t damage them.
The Best Pottery Aprons
Now that you have some idea of what you’re looking for, let’s take a peek at some of our top pottery apron picks:
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Life Flavor Heavy Duty Work Apron | Tool pockets, canvas, adjustable (M to XXL) |
| 2. | OleksynPrannyk Work Apron | Non-waxed canvas + leather, adjustable |
| 3. | Mignongirl Crossback Apron | 2 pockets, split apron, adjustable (M to XXL) |
| 4. | Esschert Design Canvas Tool Apron | Small and large tool pockets, split apron |
| 5. | BRW Split Leg Trucker's Apron | 10 oz cotton; pencil, bib, and waist pockets |
| 6. | LeaSeek Leather Welding Apron | Split leg, 2 pockets, buckles |
| 7. | MCR Safety Split Leg Leather Apron | Bib + leg pockets, buckles at legs/back |
If you are convinced that you need an apron for pottery, below are our recommendations in much more detail. Read on and happy making!
1. Life Flavor Heavy Duty Work Apron
This heavy-duty canvas apron is a highly dependable companion for potters, both amateurs and professionals alike. The length of the apron covers enough of your lap while you sit down to glaze or to spin the pottery wheel, but it won’t cause you any trouble standing up.
This apron is made of 100 percent cotton, making it super lightweight and breathable; you barely even feel its presence at all. The apron has adjustable straps and a buckle at the back, so finding the right fit and putting on the apron will take no time at all.
The dark color means that stains won’t really show, so you don’t have to wash it too often. Cotton is also quite easy to wash. You can simply rinse down any excessive clay at the sink and toss it in the washing machine – it will come out as good as new.
This apron is quite handy for pottery because it offers quite a few pockets for your tools. There is a front pocket with individual slots for your favorite trimming tools and small paint brushes and several big pockets at the hip to hold everything else.
For hobbyists, this is a perfectly comfortable and convenient starter apron to help protect your clothes and assist you while you create whatever you’d like at the pottery wheel. It gets the job done and can easily be washed for the next use.
2. OleksynPrannyk Work Apron
This work apron is especially stylish, made of black canvas and cowhide leather straps. This combination makes the apron highly durable, and the stains will barely show in the dark canvas.
Putting on this apron is easy since it has a cross-back design that ties together at the back, so you can always find a comfortable fit. The apron covers up to your knees, so you will still be well-covered while sitting down.
There are several large pockets that allow you quick access to your pottery tools. There’s one pocket at the chest and several large ones at your hip, so you can host a variety of tools and employ them while you create.
The thick and durable canvas material can easily be wiped down after each use. If you need to wash it, this apron can easily be machine washed at a low temperature. Once thoroughly washed, you can air dry it to get it ready for the next use.
Since this apron looks quite polished and professional, it is great if you are running a pottery workshop and need to meet and talk to a lot of people. Even if you are a hobbyist, putting on a polished-looking apron can fuel your creative energy and get you ready for your next creation!
3. Mignongirl Crossback Apron
This Crossback Apron is made of quality soft canvas that is quite durable. This apron has a split leg that allows you to sit down comfortably at the pottery wheel while still providing enough coverage for your pant legs.
The cross-back straps are easily removable with buckles, and you can adjust the straps to whatever length and configuration that feel the most comfortable to you. The apron ties at the back, so you can easily adjust the apron to your size and work conveniently while protecting your clothes.
This apron has two pockets at the front for you to hold your pottery tools. The pockets are not deep, so you can easily identify your tools and pick them out quickly as you work. There is a utility buckle that gives you convenient access to some tools of choice.
We love that this apron is made of soft canvas that is quite lightweight and breathable. You won’t feel any extra weight and heat at all when you wear it. The material is quite easy to clean, you can simply rinse out any chunks of clay after you work and hang it to dry, and it’s ready for your next time sitting down at the pottery wheel!
4. Esschert Design Canvas Tool Apron
The Esschert Design Canvas Tool Apron was designed with you in mind. The split legs are quite long, covering more of your legs as you sit down to work, so you don’t have to worry about clay getting all over your clothes.
We like that the neck opening is adjustable so you can customize it to just the right height, and the back straps clasp together with a buckle, so you don’t have to worry about tying it each time. This apron has quite a convenient design that allows you to “suit up” quickly every time you enter the pottery studio.
This apron also comes with several pockets of various sizes for a variety of pottery tools. If you have one or two trimming tools of choice, you can put them in the small chest pocket for easy access. The larger pockets at the front also allow you to hold and have access to your paint brushes and sponges to help you when you are hard at work.
The dark olive material stays clean for a long time, and it can easily be washed whether by hand or in the washing machine; just make sure to rinse out any big chunks of clay first.
We love this apron’s versatility and especially the small little pockets at the front for your favorite tools. Whether you are a hobbyist or a professional, the Esschert Canvas Tool Apron makes it easy to carry your tools while you’re at work at the pottery wheel.
5. BRW Olive Drab Split Leg Trucker’s Apron
When you are hashing out your creation at the pottery wheel, the Olive Drab Split Leg Trucker’s Apron provides you with the extra security and comfort to get the job done.
The best feature of this apron has to be the split legs that have snap ties at the back, so they can comfortably wrap around your pant legs. This is a great feature that allows the apron to fit you securely, protecting your clothes while you work.
The apron can be tied at the back, allowing you to find the best fit for your body. Of course, the snap ties on the legs are also adjustable, so you don’t have to worry about size or fit.
There are several pockets at the front and on the sizes that allow you to hold a variety of tools while you work. The pockets are flat and relatively shallow, so you can easily identify your tools and pick them out as you create.
This apron has a dark green color that can endure the stains of clay and glaze. It is made of highly durable cotton, making it quite strong yet still breathable. Cotton is also quite easy to care for. You can put this apron in the washing machine after using it.
Overall, we highly recommend this option if you are looking for a dependable apron that can protect you securely as you work while still giving you easy access to your tools. Professional potters can benefit from this style of apron, as it allows you to sit down comfortably all day at the pottery wheel.
6. LeaSeek Leather Welding Apron
This leather apron is designed for heavy-duty jobs like welding, but if you are a professional potter who sits down every day at the pottery wheel and regularly needs to work with the high heat of the kiln, you will appreciate the durability and strength of this apron.
This apron is made of heat-resistant cowhide leather, which makes it quite durable. Dare we say that it is even clay resistant – you simply need to wipe it down when you get any clay on it, and it should be good as new!
This apron offers the most coverage out of all the aprons on this list, covering you from your chest to your feet. The apron has an adjustable buckle at the back, allowing you to find a comfortable fit, as well as three buckles on each leg that allows you to secure the apron and protect your pants while you work.
The apron has two big pockets for all of your tools and a strap on the side that allows you to hold your favorite trimming tools or paint brushes for easy access.
Overall, this heavy-duty apron is best suited for professionals since you can enjoy all of the benefits that it can offer. We love the strength and durability of this apron; you don’t have to worry about any damage at all to your clothes because it provides greater protection, even from the high heat of the kiln.
7. MCR Safety Split Leg Leather Apron
Although this safety apron was developed with welders in mind, it is quite an impressive design that would fit the needs of professional and amateur potters alike.
This Safety Apron with Split Leg is a quality leather safety apron made of heavy side-split cow leather that can protect you from the heat of the kiln as well as the clay and glaze that can get on you when you shape your work.
This apron has snap buckles that allow you to easily get in and out of it quickly. The straps are adjustable, so this apron can fit comfortably with your body regardless of your size. There are even buckles at the legs, allowing the apron to hug you securely as you sit down, so you don’t have to worry about adjusting the apron as you work on the pottery wheel.
The apron has several pockets of various sizes and even a d ring for your tools, so you can easily employ your favorite pottery tools when you work. This apron is ideal when you work with a large kiln since it can protect you from the heat as well as the clay.
This apron’s material is quite strong and durable, so you don’t have to worry about damaging it while you work on large projects. It is quite easy to clean; you can rinse out the clay and air dry the apron for the next use.
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