Porcelain is a member of the ceramic family along with pottery, stoneware, earthenware and even clay brick. The term ‘ceramic’ refers to any product made from the firing of a non-metallic material such as clay at high temperatures. Nowadays, the term ‘porcelain’ is synonymous with any product made with kaolin clay and heated at 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit. The materials used to make porcelain is more refined and purified and the mug appears almost translucent when held up to the light.