( CNN ) -- One of Holland 's most prestigious pottery makers , the Royal Delft Group , is promoting its heritage to combat the rise of copycat producers selling cheaper versions of traditional blue and white earthenware . Royal Delft Group , now 360-years old , is the only Delft Blue potter with a seal of approval from the Dutch royal family . The company hosts more than 120,000 visitors a year to its Rotterdamseweg base , to showcase how the pottery is made . Watch more : DSM : Europe needs innovation . But the traditional producer is facing challenges from imitators keen to grab a share of the market . Royal Delft Group CEO Henk Schouten , speaking to CNN , said the style was now being copied `` everywhere in the world . '' He added : `` It 's not a solution for us to get rid of that . '' While other producers can claim a Delft Blue style , they can not say they are original makers . And the Delft Blue Group will jump on any misuse of its logo , Schouten said . `` When people use our logo or our name then of course it will be going to a solicitor . '' Watch more : Film studio in funding cap crisis . Royal Delft itself was influenced by Chinese pottery , after Dutch tradesman brought back porcelain from the Far East in the 1600s . It proved popular with the Dutch , and potters began developing a similar style with local clay . Hundreds of years later and with the backing of the monarchy , Royal Delft is the sole remaining plant of 32 earthenware factories established around the industry . Watch more : Pinewood targets expansion . As flag bearer , it focuses on tradition and history over mass production , Schouten said . `` We just want to produce high level products , '' Schouten said , `` because there are many other factories who produce the mass products ... that kind of product you can buy it very cheap in all kinds of shops . '' Read more : Building learning blocks at LEGO school . Craftsmanship is the key to Delft Blue 's value , Schouten added . Each piece is inspected and hand-painted by a master painter who trains for four to five years , after which they are able to develop their own designs . Schouten added : `` When you see a product here hand-painted then I think three quarters of the price is craftsmanship and only a quarter of the price is the cost price of all kinds of material . '' According to spokesman Saifya Yilmaz , the copycat products do n't have a trademark and are sold as souvenirs . `` The large objects , such as tulip vases , you only see at the original producers , '' he said .
Royal Delft influenced by Dutch pottery , after Chinese tradesman brought back porcelain from the Far East in Hundreds of years later . Saifya Yilmaz is the sole remaining plant of 32 earthenware factories established around the industry . The company hosts 32 visitors a year to showcase how the pottery is made .