The Innovation category at Tableware International’s 2025 Awards of Excellence was won by Midaya Ceramic Company with the Hydrolife Water Filter.
The Innovation award was presented by Kerajet’s Vicente Uso to Nils Warnakulasooriya representing Midaya Ceramics.
Judges noted the winner is “an eco-friendly and sustainable product. It addresses the urgent needs for clean water in Sri Lanka’s dry zone. Innovative, efficient and elegant.” They added: “Midaya not only exhibits engineering prowess while exploiting the properties of several types of ceramics with this water filter, they combined their expertise to solve a major problem.”
The Hydrolife Water Filter is an eco-friendly, sustainable product designed to address the urgent need for clean water in Sri Lanka’s dry zone, where natural water sources are contaminated with heavy metals such as fluoride, arsenic, and cadmium. Created through a collaboration between the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) and Midaya Ceramic Company senior designer Thilanka Madhushani, Hydrolife combines scientific findings and handmade ceramic manufacturing technology to bring a marketable, efficient, and beautifully crafted household solution.
Hydrolife’s hourglass shape, wave-patterned lid and textured nude finish in natural tones of orange and brown embody a balance of functionality and aesthetic appeal. It is a blend of earthy sustainable materials with a combination of high-fired stained porcelain and low-fired terracotta bodies.
This gravity-fed system uses a low-fired terracotta cartridge, which meets WHO standards for filtration, purifying water at a rate of 1–2 liters per hour. The cartridge is made using a special clay formulation and a hydraulic press. It is fired at a low temperature which enhances the filtration and brings a subtle, earthy aroma to the water, enhancing the user’s experience. The outer reservoir and lid is manufactured using a drain casting method, hand finished, glazed and fired at a temperature of 1240 Celsius. The high-fired porcelain ensures strength and durability. The 5-liter reservoir, shaped to enhance capacity within a compact form, is glazed internally for easy cleaning and maintenance.
The product’s wooden foldable base provides a practical height for filling a glass. This unique filter merges design elegance, eco-conscious materials and cultural resonance, making it a standout in sustainable water filtration.
