About

Welcome to about WelshClay, where we can celebrate the natural wonders of my Welsh Kaolin Clay and how I discovered it.
Hello, my name is Phil Bowen, a Welshman through and through.

I have been described as a visionary, a Welsh innovator with a deep respect for natural materials and heritage.

At the age of 7, I fell in love with horses and despite my father's disapproval, I helped out at a local horse riding school. I was saddling up and doing odd jobs. There was never any money, but a ride at the end of the day, was all I ever wanted.
At 10, we moved homes and my days at the farm were over, but 
I never lost my love for horses.
27yr old and owning an off-license, I could afford to buy my first horse and rent land.
Not happy renting, I wanted my own land and discovered 68 acres for sale that was only 5 miles away.
On walking the land, I could see one field had a wall of stone (quarry face). It was exactly like the stone my father had used to built a fireplace at home.
,I instantly thought, "Hello, I can sell this stone," not realising I would need planning permission to operate a Quarry. 
2 years later and a lot of money spent on appeals, I was granted a license and started my Pennant Quarry business.

I purchased a Bay Welsh Cob colt foal in 1990 and called him Rusty. 
In 1995, unhappy with the showing products available, I started making my own. 'AlvaHorse Equine Aromatherapy Products'   www.alvahorse.co.uk
"Now selling "World Wide"

Back to the Quarry:

November of 2010 was a very wet month and I noticed pretty pebbles were in abundance in the over-burden that was sitting above my unworked quarry face. Thoughts came to my mind, to  add them to my Blue Pennant Stone sales. As a trial, I put the over-burden in a cement mixer to guesstimate the ratio of stones to mud. The results were very positive but the process was far to slow to make it financially viable. While researching online, I came across a company in Coventry with a very large washing plant.
After speaking to the owner, it was decided to take 20 tones as a sample to be washed, with a view to him then bringing the plant to my quarry and washing 3,000 tones. 
At that time, I was dating a very knowledgeable and successful beautician called Karen.
I told Karen of my plans and offered her a day out in Coventry after the tests, if she fancied it.
She happily took me up on my offer and off we set the following week.
Andy the wash plant owner had warned me, a good result would depend on a low clay to stone ratio.
Picture this, as the mud was loaded into the wash plant hopper, we were stood alongside Andy behind safety rails, wearing Hi Viz vests and hard hats.
 As the mud went up a conveyor it was sprayed with pressurized water jets and the pretty stones were plain to see.
Andy then took us to the rear of the wash plant to check what the clay content was.
As the clay was dropping from the machine, Karen reached out and grabbed a handful of the clay, we looked at each other, I was thinking, what the hell, we are going for lunch as she told me, "This is exactly like the French Clay I use on my Clients, I instantly thought of Welsh Clay and whispered shhh to her. 
I could not wait to get back in the car and ask her all about the French Clay.
That my friend, was the start of WelshClay as a cosmetic. 

 WelshClay Jewellery Polish.
I uncovered the extraordinary benefits of my Welsh Kaolin Clay as a polish by chance, while processing my Cosmetic Grade Kaolin Clay in my lock-up container.

I also stored my beloved Classic car, a 1978 Yellow MGB Roadster in the same container, as the process involved crushing. I foolishly forgot to cover my beloved classic car and it was soon covered in fine clay. Before going home, I decided to dust off and to my amazement, I noticed the paint work in parts looked a lot brighter, as if I'd polished it. Excitingly, I added a drop of water to the fine clay and started polishing the pitted chrome around the headlights. The results were truly amazing and that was the start of WelshClay as a Jewellery Polish. 

Unlike conventional metal cleaners that rely on harsh synthetic compounds, WelshClay works through naturally occurring microscopic mineral particles that gently cleanse and polish precious metals, preserving their integrity while delivering exceptional shine.

Driven by a commitment to ethical sourcing, low-impact production and unadulterated natural ingredients, I've created a product that aligns luxury results with environmental consciousness. Every WelshClay polish reflects a balance between nature, heritage and modern sustainable living.

Today, WelshClay represents more than a product — it is a return to pure, effective materials that honor both craftsmanship and the planet.

Many thanks for reading.
My Best Regards,
Phil Bowen
WelshClay