Shade (ceramics)
In ceramics, the shade (tono in Spanish) is the slight colour variation that occurs between different firings of the same tile model. Each shade is identified with a code printed on the box, and pieces of different shades should not be mixed in the same room.
Why does shade change from one firing to the next?
Shade variation is unavoidable: glaze composition, kiln temperature and humidity change from one firing to the next. That is why the factory classifies each lot and the warehouse stores it as an attribute of the batch. An order for 80 square metres must be shipped from a single shade, or the customer will return the goods.