Real Zellige vs Zellige-Look Tile: How to Tell the Difference

The zellige look is so popular that many factories now make tiles that copy it: ceramic and porcelain tiles with a wavy glaze, and even peel-and-stick sheets. They can look good, but they are a different product. Here is how real zellige and zellige-look tile compare, so you can choose the right one for your project.

How real zellige is made

Real zellige is made by hand in Morocco, mostly around Fez. Clay is shaped and dried in the sun, glazed, fired in a kiln, and then each tile is cut by hand with a hammer. No two tiles are the same: the thickness, the edges and the colour all vary, and some tiles have small chips, pinholes or crazing in the glaze. That variation is what makes a zellige wall look alive.

How zellige-look tile is made

Zellige-look tiles are made by machine. The surface is pressed or glazed to look uneven, and the colour variation is often printed. The tiles are flat on the back, the same thickness and the same size, so they install like any other tile.

Side by side

• Look: real zellige has deep, random variation in shine and colour. Look-alikes repeat a pattern every few tiles.
• Edges: real zellige has soft, hand-cut edges and is laid with very thin grout lines. Look-alikes have straight edges and wider grout joints.
• Durability: porcelain look-alikes are harder and suit busy floors and outdoor use. Real zellige is softer and best on walls and low-traffic floors.
• Installation: real zellige takes more time and an installer who knows handmade tile. Look-alikes are quicker to install.
• Cost: real zellige usually costs more because every tile is made and cut by hand.
• Peel-and-stick: vinyl stickers are a renter-friendly shortcut, but they are not tile and will not look or wear like glazed clay.

Which should you choose?

If you want a wall with real depth and character, such as a kitchen backsplash, a shower or a fireplace surround, real zellige is worth it. For a large, busy floor or an outdoor area, a porcelain look-alike may be more practical.

Order samples first

Zellige is glazed and cut by hand, so every glaze looks different in different light. Our sample box puts real tiles in your hands before you order. Every order ships from Fez, Morocco by DHL Express, and larger pallet orders can ship by sea.