Our Story

Once upon a time, in the 1960s near Prague, Czech Republic, a young couple of scientists worked on developing a polymer clay that hardened when baked. After numerous experiments, they created a relatively soft and malleable material which they named Cernit, as a nod to the wife’s surname, Cerna.

Forced to emigrate to Germany in 1963, the couple decided to publish a small advertisement to find an investor who could help them develop their product. Manfred Guder noticed the ad and decided to collaborate with the inventors.

Some time later, the couple withdrew from the business and Mr. Guder hired a chemist who significantly expanded the range of colors of the clay. At the time, production took place in their factory in Frankfurt, Germany. However, over time, sales declined and the results were no longer satisfactory.

It wasn’t until 2008 that the brand was acquired by a Belgian company, The Clay and Paint Factory, which took on the task of designing and producing new effects and developing various accessories for modeling and creating jewelry, dolls, miniatures, etc. The efforts quickly paid off, thanks in particular to word of mouth and social networks. The quality of the clay was recognized and appreciated by all, allowing Cernit to establish itself among the top brands used by professional polymer artists.

Since November 2022, the French company Clairefontaine Rhodia has taken over the reins of the company and consequently the marketing of the Cernit brand.