Quick answer: A credible zellige sample request starts with a precise project brief, not a checkout button for an unverified image. Ask the supplier to send actual fired tile pieces representing the intended shape, glaze, dimensions and variation range. Confirm sample cost, shipping, customs treatment and approval criteria in writing before treating a sample as an order-ready product.
Editorial guide prepared October 2026. Material options are sourcing enquiries until a real workshop confirms origin, technical performance, stock and quote. Read official linked sources for technical/historical context.
Questions answered in this guide
Does Zellige Atelier ship free zellige samples?
No free-sample entitlement is advertised. Sample cost, availability, packaging and delivery are confirmed after an enquiry because a supplier has not been selected for every design concept. The site is not a stocked warehouse. Use the sample request page and include your destination ZIP and project details.
Can you choose zellige color from a website photo?
Not reliably. Editorial photographs show actual architecture, but they are not physical samples of a specific coded design concept. Display settings, glaze variation and lighting alter apparent color. Our internal ZELLIGE-COL reference helps describe an intention only. Approve actual fired pieces from a selected workshop before placing a confirmed order.
How many tile pieces should a sample board contain?
One perfect tile does not demonstrate a possible shade range. Request a representative selection from the intended glaze and production approach, with enough variation for the designer and client to see real differences. The required number depends on variation and project importance; ask the workshop to define the sample set and mark an approved range instead of accepting a generic count as sufficient.
What documents belong with a tile sample?
Record supplier identity and location, a traceable sample or batch number, dimensions and thickness, intended application, finish, known technical limitations, instructions for cleaning, and any test reports necessary for the project. Ask whether the photograph or test sheet corresponds to the actual sampled product. A generic trade-show flyer is not product-specific evidence.
Who pays shipping and U.S. import charges?
Responsibility depends on the agreed quotation and shipping terms. A sample still crosses an international border, so identify importer, declared contents and applicable customs procedures beforehand. CBP notes that the requirements depend on correct product classification and circumstances. Do not assume samples are duty-free or that a courier quote includes every fee.
What if the approved sample differs from the eventual order?
The final contract should state whether delivered goods must match an approved control sample or agreed variation range and describe the inspection/dispute process. Handmade character is not a blank check for any discrepancy. Record photographs of the signed sample and the supplier’s own reference before ordering.
Can an architect have a sample sent directly to a project team?
Often yes, subject to supplier and carrier arrangements. Specify one receiving contact, delivery address, inspection timeline and who will approve the material. If several decision-makers need to sign off, schedule one joint review or ship multiple identical reference sets, understanding that physical samples may exhibit individual variation.
What is the fastest way to get a sample quote?
Give requested form and dimensions, color reference, quantities or surface area, application, delivery ZIP, project deadline and photographs of the aesthetic target. Mark hard requirements separately from preferences. We then look for a compatible workshop and ask for a written estimate before payment. See How Sourcing Works.
Sources and supporting references
The institutional sources below are general standards or history, not evidence that a particular unverified catalogue concept has passed tests or is stocked.
Continue your project
See our full Zellige FAQ library, the Tile Finder, the 500-reference catalogue overview and request a supplier-verified quote. No stock, supplier, price, performance or delivery promise should be inferred from editorial imagery.
